SISON, Pangasinan—More than 1,000 residents in the towns of Pozorrubio and Sison will be displaced once the Department of Public Works and Highways insists on following the old design of Section 3 of the 88-kilometer Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expresway which cuts through the populated communities of the two municipalities.
Former 5th district Rep. Mark Cojuangco said the huge number of residential and commercial building owners that stand to be displaced is more than enough to delay the completion of the multi-billion highway project contrary to previous commitments made by DPWH officials that the project will be completed before the end of next year.
“The government must be flexible in dealing with the people to be affected by the road project. DPWH officials should be open-minded on the matter because the people who will be displaced will be deprived of their sources of livelihood,” Cojuangco stressed.
The former lawmaker said his proposal to realign the exit of the TPLEX from the original site in Saytan, Rosario, La Union to Katagintingan, Rosario, La Union which involves at least 5 kilometers distance would be the most feasible proposal. It would free the expected congestion at the mouth of Kennon Road and would lessen the number of people to be displaced in the urban centers of Pozorrubio and Sison.
According to him, once the affected residents decide to bring the issue to the court, the implementation of the project will be unjustly delayed which will be to the greater disadvantage of the motoring and commuting public.
