Bicol Region Infrastructure and Urban Planning

[ryan12]

Originally Posted by [dx]

Ligao - Pio Duran Road (Albay)

parang tinipid ang trabaho idi!!!

[ruralvillage]

Good news!

Originally Posted by ruralvillage

Work on Bicol airport in full swing—Salceda
Manila Standard
by Mar S. Arguelles

Work on the Southern Luzon International Airport has gone full blast following the acquisition of some 200 hectares of land on which will be built the runway and airport facilities.

Transportation and Communications Department officials in the Bicol region said the airport was a big-ticket project under President Gloria Arroyo’s super region program. The airport, located in Barangay Alobo in Daraga, Albay, had a P3.4-billion budget to ensure its completion as scheduled in 2012, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said.

The Southern Luzon airport will cover 200 hectares of which 187 hectares will house the airport terminal and runway, another 1.5 hectares for access road and 10 hectares for the resettlement area for residents who will make way for Bicol’s gateway to the world, officials said.

Salceda said some P800 million has been spent for land acquisition and feasibility study.

Salceda said the project site was ideal and strategic because it was accessible to other provinces of Bicol such as Masbate, Catanduanes and Sorsogon whose Matnog port offered access to the Visayan provinces.

Bicol is now under the Central Philippines cluster, composed of the three Visayan regions, which focuses on tourism development.

[jpdm]

I visited Bicol (Albay) last month and indeed, things are getting alot better to this formerly underdeveloped region.

[hakz2007]

Originally Posted by jpdm

I visited Bicol (Albay) last month and indeed, things are getting alot better to this formerly underdeveloped region.

And I truly hope this will continue.

[Monsi]

Behind Kapuntukan Hill...

^...seen from Puro...

Legazpi Boulevard Extension to Lamba...


^...October.

v...December (27)


^...the gap is now nearly closed, reclaiming several hectares in barangays Puro and Lamba.

[jpdm]

Originally Posted by Monsi

Behind Kapuntukan Hill...

^...seen from Puro...

Legazpi Boulevard Extension to Lamba...


^...October.

v...December (27)


^...the gap is now nearly closed, reclaiming several hectares in barangays Puro and Lamba.

This is certainly a huge project. Congrats to Legazpi!

[Monsi]

From Legazpi City and Albay Thread...


^...Aerial shots of the same boulevard...

[NOVO ECIJANO]

Bilib na talaga ako kay Joey Salceda.go,go Bicol Nagulat ako sa nakikita kong development.

[[dx]]

Originally Posted by [dx]

The San Fernando, Camarines Sur-Oas, Albay Diversion Road
Source: UP Ibalon Bicol

The construction of a San Fernando, Camarines Sur to Oas, Albay bypass (diversion) road has recently been approved. It is one of 10 priority projects in Bicol for 2008-2010 along with the construction of the new Legazpi airport. P500M has reportedly been released for the project. The rationale of the project is to decongest the main road running from Naga to Legazpi. A shortening of the travel time between the two cities is expected.

The planned diversion road is 61.90 kilometers long. Only 14 kilometers will be new road as it just intends to use old roads that already exist. Thus, 32.22 kilometers of existing gravel road will be paved and 15.68 kilometers of the existing Maharlika highway will be improved. An old bridge will also be repaired and a new 40-meter bridge will be built. The total project cost is estimated to be P2.25 billion.

This bypass road will connect the old roads connecting Legazpi to Naga (see my previous article, "The Old Roads of the Naga-Legazpi Corridor and Dialectal Variations Along Its Way", 11/18/08). From the town of Oas it will probably use the old Mayao road that connects the town to Libon, Albay.

From Libon, it will use the gravel road that connects it to the upland barrios of Nabua. This is the Libon-Buga-Tandaay road. This road crosses the Nabua-Balatan road in the big barrio of Tandaay, Nabua. The road runs through the southern shores of Lake Bato.

From Tandaay,Nabua a gravel road runs to Bula, Camarines Sur, running south of the plains irrigated by the Bicol River. This road skirts the southern side of Lake Baao. This is the old Malawag road.

It seems the new road construction mentioned will be used to connect Bula to San Fernando, Camarines Sur. It is probable that the paved road running west of Bula to the barrio of Panoypoyan will used. If not, some other farm-to-market (feeder) roads might be used like the road to Bagoladio. It seems the new bridge will be used in this stretch since the Bicol River will have to be forded here, a connection that hencetoforth does not yet exist. Before reaching San Fernando, the road will pass through portions of Minalabac, if not the town proper. However, Milaor will be bypassed.

This diversion road for the most part will pass through the foot of the long mountain chain on the southern side of Bicol which is always visible from the road when one is traversing the Sipocot to Ligao stretch of the Maharlika highway.

Concerns have been raised about the possible effects on Naga and the towns that will be bypassed by the new highway. There's fear that the economic downturn suffered by Daet and the Camarines Norte towns when the Quirino Andaya highway was opened will be replicated here.

But to sustain progress sometimes new infrastructure must really be built. There is no question that the Naga-Legazpi road is already a little bit crowded and this won't get better anymore. Anyway the first users of this highway will probably be the cars, trucks and buses that just passes by the area en route to Sorsogon and Eastern Visayas.

Whatever, it is imperative that a comprehensive study be made of the possible impacts of the new highway should be. This is needed to warn the sectors that will be affected and also anticipate future problems.

It is now being bandied as the "GMA Highway". The information is from NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) Region V office so it must be official now.

Originally Posted by wheel of steel

I'll try to scan the plan of DPWH for the Libon to Oas section. The road bed is almost 10 meters in with some are yet to be excavated. The Ligao Pioduran crossing of GMA highway is already in fullblast (road opening only).

Any updates on this project?

[edly]

Originally Posted by jpdm

I visited Bicol (Albay) last month and indeed, things are getting alot better to this formerly underdeveloped region.

Hi guys. I have Bicolano blood running thru my veins... My father hails from Catanduanes. I browsed through this thread and I'm really proud to say that my second home region has IMPROVED A LOT! I can say that Bicolanos are really gifted artisans and workers as they persevered the hardships brought by Mayon and look, infrastructure developments are still up and running. Can't wait to witness this all myself. Thanks for these picture updates.

[wheel of steel]

Originally Posted by [dx]

Any updates on this project?

It's ongoing, I just can't give the details since they are working on areas too remote for the vehicular traffic. Her in Ligao City, they still have a lot to do to clear the row of this expressway but things are running smoothly. They expect to complete the road opening before end of this year.

BTW: The Bicol Bypass Road popularly known as GMA Highway will soon be connected to SLEX.

[jpdm]

The infra projects being done right now in the Bicol region ( and I think the PNR rehab is the highlight) will transform the region into one of the most progressive.

Formerly one of the poorest, Bicol is starting to rev up and poised to overtake other regions in the country.

With now very popular and progressive cities of Naga and Legazpi leading the way, economic growth will continue and other most backward parts of the region like Catanduanes and Masbate will also experience resurgence...

[juniordiscovery]

Originally Posted by ruralvillage

Good news!

nice!

[ICHUO_MX]

omg! my mom's place.
grabe, ang ganda na pala dyan.

kelangan ko to mapuntahan kapag nagbakasyon ako sa bikol.

[ICHUO_MX]

yung tulay sa bandang sabluyon road ba yun, yung naputol dahil sa bagyo, nagawa na ba yon?

[[dx]]

Originally Posted by wheel of steel

It's ongoing, I just can't give the details since they are working on areas too remote for the vehicular traffic. Her in Ligao City, they still have a lot to do to clear the row of this expressway but things are running smoothly. They expect to complete the road opening before end of this year.

BTW: The Bicol Bypass Road popularly known as GMA Highway will soon be connected to SLEX.

Thanks for the update!

[RohClem]

Originally Posted by kalbongdad

ramdam ang kaunlaran sa bikol....buti na lang si salceda nandyan kung si chiz all talk no accomplishment escudero yan...puro laway lang ang makukuha nyo sa kanya.....way to go joey zalceda....habulin mo si naga...natatalo na kayo

tama ka, si chiz nagiging cheezy na kase from congressman of sorsogon to senator, wala kang makitang progress sa sorsogon, meron din siguro per odi mo maramdaman, unlike albay... yan ang disadvantage ng nasa opposition..

[hakz2007]

Originally Posted by ICHUO_MX

yung tulay sa bandang sabluyon road ba yun, yung naputol dahil sa bagyo, nagawa na ba yon?

finished and accessible already...

[[dx]]

Originally Posted by [dx]

Legazpi Boulevard
by antics

From the Legazpi City thread

[Arvor]

Nice maybe they could build a giant lions head on that sleeping lions hill which can also be an observation platform ( people can walk in the mouth ) / restaurant / small concert podium inside the head with the eyes as windows so the eyes would glow at night lol .