Caraga Infra Projects Almost Complete

DPWH Caraga regional director Romeo Momo, left, gestures during a meeting with Caraga chief executives in Butuan City about the progress of infrastructure projects in the region. Also in the photo are Jesus Dureza, provincial governors Erlpe John Amante of Agusan del Norte and Vicente Pimentel Jr. of Surigao del Sur and Virgilio Leyretana.

BUTUAN CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 27 Oct) - The fight against poverty is gaining headway in the southern Philippine region of Caraga as big ticket infrastructure and development projects are underway to promote peace, trade and greater access to goods and basic services.

At the recently held Mindanao Super Region Forum-Caraga Leg here, the Department of Public Works and Highways revealed that the region's infrastructure development program is boldly making accomplishments.

The construction of the second Magsaysay Bridge worth more than P2 billion and Butuan City’s by-pass road project, are almost complete.

Presidential Peace Adviser and Mindanao Super Region Development head Jesus Dureza and Virgilio Leyretana, chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Coucil, have recently inspected the Butuan projects in the village of San Vicente.

With a total span of 882 meters, the Magsaysay Bridge will become an alternative crossing in Agusan River to connect the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway (Surigao-Agusan-Davao Road) and the Butuan City-Cagayan City-Iligan City road.

"I remember two years ago when I visited here, this is still on the drawing board and now it's a dream fulfilled. This bridge is the most beautiful span we have seen that can compete architecturally with other infrastructure projects in other parts of Asia and it is to the credit of local leadership with the support of national government who made this project possible," Dureza said in a statement sent Friday to the Mindanao Examiner.

Dureza said aside from the bridge and road projects, two other infrastructure projects under the Mindanao Super Region Initiative of President Gloria Arroyo in Caraga, include the Dinagat Island Road Network, Butuan Airport, Surigao-Davao Coastal Road and Hawilian-Salug-Sinakungan Barangay (village) Road.

DPWH Caraga regional director Romeo Momo said an initial funding of P100 million was released recently to start the construction of the Dinagat Island Road Network. (With a report from the Mindanao Economic Development Council)

President Arroyo Names Leyretana As MEDco Chairman

MEDco chairman Virgilio Leyretana.

MANILA (Mark Navales / 13 Oct) - President Gloria Arroyo appointed Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana as chairman of the Mindanao EconomicDevelopment Council (MEDCo).

MEDco is mandated to coordinate and integrate the government’s peace and development efforts in Mindanao region.

Leyretana is the fourth to be appointed as chairman since MEDCo's creation in1992. Among his predecessors include former Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Paul Dominguez, former Mindanao Business Council Chair Sebastian Angliongto and Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza.

MEDco coordinates key agencies in the implementation and monitoring of vital government infrastructure projects,and in pushing for policy reforms needed to secure a constantly improving economic environment throughout the island region.

For the past eight months, Leyretana served as MEDco’s officer-in-charge following the appointment of Dureza to head the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

Leyretana was also Deputy Presidential Assistant for Mindanao in 2001 to 2003, and Executive Director of the Mindanao Peace and Development Fund (SPDA) in 2003.

He also served as concurrent chairman of the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) Mindanao.

Previously, Leyretana headed the Task Force on Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) to oversee retrieval and safekeeping of funds and assets of SPDA following its deactivation in 2002.

He was a former vice mayor and mayor of Cotabato City from 1995 to 1998 and also headed the Vice Mayor’s League of the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner/MEDco)