SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union: A new, sturdier P15-million bridge leading to the booming cement industry in Bacnotan, La Union, was among the major infrastructure projects that was completed in the second quarter of 2021 by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region 1.

Region 1, or the Ilocos Region is composed of the provinces of Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan.

In a report to Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, DPWH Regional Director Ronnel Tan said another bridge was rehabilitated and roads, dikes, school buildings and isolation facilities for Covid-19 patients were also among the infrastructure projects that were finished from April to June this year in various towns in Region 1.

The new bridge replaced the old Ballogo Bridge along Bitalag-Quirino Road in Barangay Ballogo in Bacnotan.

'With a better connection along Manila North Road, this two-lane Ballogo Bridge is expected to serve some 42,000 residents of Bacnotan using this time a much improved infrastructure,' Tan said in an interview with reporters over the weekend.

The 12-meter bridge project, with a total cost of P14.7 million, was completed under the Department of Trade and Industry-DPWH Convergence Program.

'We commend our DPWH workers on the ground who continue to work hard despite the pandemic with the goal of boosting economic activity and providing better access to communities,' according to the DPWH regional director.

Tan said the first engineering district office of DPWH in La Union, headed by engineer Jose Ginete Jr., completed the rehabilitation of the 60-meter bridge along the Manila North Road in Barangay Carlatan in San Fernando City, La Union that is now expected to serve better travelers to Abra, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

Solar LED lights were installed along the bridge for better visibility of motorists passing by at nighttime.

Another project finished under the supervision of Ginete was the 113-meter road slope protection structure along San Fernando City-Bagulin national road in Barangay Nagyubuyuban.

The project, according to DPWH, was aimed at preventing soil erosion and strengthening slope stability.

The first engineering district office also completed a 70.8-meter concrete dike in Barangay Ili Sur in San Juan, La Union that will control waterway levels during typhoons.

Costing P4,950,000, the project was funded by the General Appropriations Act of 2021, according to Tan.

The first engineering district office of DPWH in Ilocos Norte, headed by engineer Ma. Venus Torio, also reported the completion of a 744-meter road connecting remote barangay (villages) of San Juan in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte.

The road is seen easing transportation and delivery of agricultural products of farmers in the villages.

The connecting road, Torio said, will reduce travel time from the barangay to the Pasuquin Public Market from one hour to 10 minutes.

Reynaldo Organo, district engineer of the second engineering district office of DPWH- Ilocos Norte, also reported the completion of a three-lane access road in Barangay San Marcelino in Dingras town.

Organo said the road will give visitors and tourists faster access to Madongan Dam, one of the top recreational places in the North.

Tan announced that four two-story school buildings at the Corrooy Elementary School, Santol, La Union have also been finished to benefit elementary-school students and teachers.

The project was completed also under the supervision of Ginete and in convergence with the Department of Education with a project cost of P11,643,725.83 funded under the Basic Educational Facilities Fund 2020.

The new school buildings, Tan said, will provide a safer school environment for students to learn better once face-to-face classes are already possible.

The DPWH-Region 1 has installed 60 additional isolation rooms for coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) cases to complement existing quarantine facilities at the DPWH-Bureau of Equipment located at Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The isolation rooms are expected to help minimize exposure of Covid-19 patients to the public.