The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 13 (Caraga) reported Tuesday the completion of the widening of a 1,162-meter road in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.

The DPWH-13 said the PHP15.8 million road network connects the town of Del Carmen to the rest of the towns on the island.

“The road widening project was started on February 23 this year and was completed by the DPWH-Surigao del Norte 1st Engineering District on June 22,” it said.

The road now brings ease to traveling residents and visitors, and has improved the delivery of relief and other services to residents affected by Typhoon Odette, it added.

Del Carmen is the site of the Sayak Airport that connects the island to the rest of the country.

In the same statement on Tuesday, DPWH-Surigao del Norte’s First Engineering District head, Alex Ramos, said the project was a priority of their office to help the residents recover from the effects of the pandemic and the devastation brought by “Odette”.

“We don’t want to experience again the difficulty of accessing our kababayans when calamities hit because our roads were narrow and blocked with debris,” Ramos said.

He said the widened road would also boost the reopening of tourism activities on the island. (PNA)