There are only 6 kilometers up for opening and concreting before Samar province will be connected to Eastern Samar province through a new road network that will reduce travel time by two hours, an official said on Wednesday.

Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan said they are looking forward to the completion of the project within the current administration.

“This road is advantageous to Samar residents because four towns and two cities will directly benefit from this shortening travel time from four hours to about two hours,” Tan said in an interview Wednesday.

House Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan said the road project will fast-track development in poor areas.

The partylist has lobbied for the release of a PHP337 million fund this year for the road opening and concreting in the upland villages of Basey and Maydolong towns.

“We are the third largest island but we lack a road network. If this road is completed this will be the third to cross the two provinces that is why I am thankful that this is now happening because constructing a project like this is not that easy,” Libanan said.

The road, according to the official, will be Samar Island’s trailblazer to progress and development and will be the legacy of present leaders to future generations.

Currently, travelers from Eastern Samar have two road options to get to Tacloban City. These are the Paranas-Taft Road and Borongan-Quinapundan-Lawaan-Marabut-Basey Road.

Borongan is 190 kilometers away from Tacloban through the existing shortest route passing the towns of Basey and Marabut before reaching the Eastern Samar border.

This road will also ease the accessibility problem during heavy rainfall when the Buray-Taft Road is closed to traffic due to flooding and landslide.

“This will also benefit economically the people living in communities along the area helping them to improve their condition,” Tan added.

The Basey-Maydolong Road in Samar side passes through Wespal village, where two of the top tourist destinations in Basey town are situated. These are the jump-off area to Sohoton Cave and the entrance to Balantak Falls.

Basey town is just 42 kilometers away from Tacloban, the regional capital while Maydolong town is only 21 kilometers away from Borongan, the capital of Eastern Samar province.

Since 2013, the Department of Public Works and Highways has been opening and concreting the road from its regular budget and from the Department of Tourism for roads leading to tourism destinations and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict for roads leading to conflict-stricken communities. (PNA)