The dream of thousands of residents of Barangays Sta. Rosa, Amayco, and Canlandog finally came true with the recent blessing and inauguration of the P60 million Wawa Bridge at Brgy. Sta. Rosa, Murcia.
“This bridge project is long overdue. The old narrow, single-lane overflow bridge gets flooded and impassable during heavy rains, and residents and agricultural products from Barangays Sta. Rosa, Amayco and Canlandog could not cross the river,” narrated Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas.
He disclosed that employees could not go to work, students could not go to school, farmers could not sell their produce, housewives could not buy food for their families, and, during milling season, trucks loaded with the sugarcane of farmers, mostly agrarian reform beneficiaries, could not bring canes to the mills.
“Now that we have this bigger, higher and stronger bridge, residents and products from these three barangays can safely and confidently cross the Wawa River without fear or danger to their lives. Employees can go to work, students can attend school, farmers can bring their fruits and vegetables to the market, and housewives can perform their errands in the town,” Mayor Rojas pointed out.
Guest of honor during the event was Department of Interior and Local Government – Region VI Assistant Regional Director Maria Calpiza Sardua, representing Regional Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero. With her were Negros Occidental Cluster 2 Head Jean Quistadio, representing Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay, Provincial Program Manager Genevive Jadulos and Murcia DILG Head Marissa Costelo.
Members of the Sangguniang Bayan came in full force, as well as barangay officials and other municipal officials. Punong Barangay Glenda Carba of Amayco, PB Joel Pabello of Sta. Rosa and PB Celso Belleza of Canlandog, together with the members of their respective barangay council and other barangay staff, were also present.
“Congratulations, Mayor Gerry Rojas, municipal and barangay officials, for your untiring efforts in making this dream a reality. You will all be remembered by this generation and the generations to come for providing your constituents with this milestone project which will undoubtedly benefit them in their daily lives,” said Sardua.
Sardua said that the bridge is wide enough for pedestrians and vehicles so that it will be more convenient and safer for residents to cross the river, it will be easier to transport products from the farms to the market, and it will be faster for basic services to reach the three barangays.
The project also includes the construction of riprap along the riverbanks to prevent soil erosion, and the installation of solar street lights along the road, which will make the place more beautiful and safer for the residents, Sardua added.
Cluster 2 head Quistadio also applauded Rojas and other Murcia and DILG officials for the realization of their prayers. “I witnessed how you diligently undertook the tedious process of availing of FALGU funding for this bridge project, and I am very happy that we have now achieved our dream,” Quistadio said.
Third District Board Member Manman Ko explained that, through the project, Murciahanons can feel the concern of the national, provincial and local government.
“Through this project, we realize that, if we are united, we cooperate and we work together, we can achieve big dreams. Please take care of this bridge. Let us not abuse it and let us not overload our trucks beyond the bridge capacity, so that this can serve and benefit us and the future generations for many years to come,” emphasized Ko.
The funding for the P60 million bridge project came from DILG’s FALGU (Financial Assistance to Local Government Units) Program, one of the programs under the Local Government Support Fund that directly provides financial assistance to LGUs to support various priority programs and projects that are necessary for delivering basic services.
In applying for FALGU funding, Murcia submitted two bridge projects – the Wawa Bridge and the Balasyang Bridge across the much wider Bago River – but only the Wawa project was approved. Rojas hoped that, perhaps next year, the DILG will provide funding for the much bigger Balasyang Bridge.
“We are so grateful, we are so thankful and we really appreciate so much this Wawa Bridge which we availed of thru DILG’s FALGU Program,” Rojas stressed.*
