President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Western Visayas to immediately rehabilitate the Paliwan Bridge in Antique, which was damaged by Tropical Storm Paeng last year, isolating the province from the rest of Panay Islands.
“Nabanggit ko na po ito sa inyo noong 2022, ngunit uulitin ko na kailangang gawing prayoridad at madaliin ang rehabilitasyon ng Paliwan Bridge. Inaatasan ko ang Public Works ng Region VI na pagtuunan (ng pansin) para agarang magka-aksyon na dito sa pag-ayos at pagbuo nitong programa,” President Marcos said during a rice distribution event in the province.
“[Inyo] pong madaliin ngunit dapat tiyakin ding matibay at hindi sub-standard ang pagkakagawa ng mga imprastraktura natin.”
According to the President, his government is putting much attention in building and rehabilitating major infrastructures so that agricultural products could easily reach the market and trading centers, thus ensuring food security.
Tropical Storm “Paeng” destroyed Antique’s two major bridges. A section of Paliwan Bridge, connecting Laua-an town in the north and Bugasong town in the south, collapsed due to rampaging water.
The weather disturbance also severely damaged Oyungan Bridge, which is Antique’s gateway to Iloilo province through the Iloilo towns of Miag-ao and San Joaquin.
Meanwhile, the President called on the public, including the people of Antique to help his government in fighting corruption, particularly rice smuggling and hoarding.
“Iniimbitahan ko naman ang buong sambayanang Pilipino—kasama kayong mga taga-Antique—na maging mapagmatyag at maging katuwang [ng] pamahalaan sa pagsugpo sa mga salot at [mapagsamantala] sa lipunan,” he said.
“Mas magiging malakas ang ating puwersa kung sama-sama tayong kikilos tungo sa mas masagana, panatag, at matatag na kinubukasan nating lahat.”
He said the government has been distributing confiscated rice by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which shows government resolve in fighting smuggling and hoarding.
The administration, he stressed, is also closely working with Congress to criminalize agricultural economic sabotage as well as to impose heavier punishment to offenders as a form of deterrent.
“Kaya magsilbi itong babala sa mga smuggler, sa mga hoarder, at sindikato diyan. Nasa Bagong Pilipinas na tayo! Hindi na lulusot ang inyong mga lumang estilo. Hindi na puwede ang inyong mga kalokohan ngayon!” he said. | PND
