Citizen Watchdog Report: The state of roads in Samar

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JODY OCENAR, a concerned citizen of the province of Samar shared these photos of a reportedly ongoing road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in partnership with the provincial government of Samar.

The project called “Concreting of Canticum–San Ignacio-Calingonan Road” in the municipality of Calbiga, Samar is a provincial road connecting the National Highway, the three above-mentioned barangays in Calbiga, and the barangays of Hitaasan, Dolores, Inobongan and the National Highway of the municipality of San Sebastian.

The project, worth almost PhP 8 million began in February, but the billboard does not indicate when it should be finished. If using the 120-day project duration indicated in the billboard, it should have been completed by June 30, 2014.

But Ocenar said: “These are the present conditions of the project particularly in the barangays covered. The road appeared to be substandard. The provincial government and DPWH officials involved always promise to complete the project but current status tells otherwise.”

Other infrastructure projects of DPWH and the provincial government are in the same sorry state, Ocenar said.

Is this where the taxpayers’ money goes? What else could citizens to do make sure we get the services we deserve?

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