The national government has set aside at least PHP400 million to start the Tacloban-Palo Diversion Road designed to solve traffic jams and flooding near the boundary of this city and the nearby town.

Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Visayas regional director Edgar Tabacon said Monday the allotment this year will finance the road construction and drainage project within a 345-meter section in three sites in Campetic and Pawing villages in Palo town and San Jose district here.

The entire 3.22-kilometer road stretch needs PHP3.5 billion, which is higher than the PHP2.7 billion originally proposed fund because of needed realignments.

Tabacon told the Philippine News Agency that the agency is optimistic the project will be completed within five years.

Under its revised plan, the DPWH intends to build the four-lane road that will start from San Jose-Candahug Road in this city to Maharlika Highway in Campetic village in Palo, traversing the Pawing village.
The road is designed to not only decongest traffic along the Maharlika Highway but will also lessen flooding in the area.

“The flood control and drainage system will be on the center of the road to ensure that there will be no encroachment and clogging of waterways,” Tabacon said.

Bigger drainage will mitigate flooding in the village of Candahug, Pawing, and Campetic in Palo town; and Caibaan, San Jose, Marasbaras, Manlurip, as well as V&G Subdivision and Imelda Village here.

These areas normally turn into swamps during rainy and typhoon seasons and would take weeks for floodwaters to subside.

The Tacloban-Palo Diversion Road which will also have bike lanes, sidewalks, service roads, solar streetlights, and road safety device components, is expected to convert the idle, flood-prone lands into prime commercial areas. (PNA)