Marawi City—Governor Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto Adiong, Jr. and Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa together with Public Works Secretary Mark Villar opened Wednesday the Marawi City Trans-Central Roads Project in Lancaf, Marawi City.
The Ambassador said the new road extending Road 8 in Barangay Lancaf formed part of Japan’s grant support program through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Marawi City.
Adiong said he and Mayor Majul Gandamra of Marawi City, along with the residents, were grateful to the government of Japan and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the project.
He said the project, implemented by the Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral)-UPMO of the DPWH headed by Undersecretary Emil Sadain, effectively reconnects the city to its neighboring towns.
Gandamra, Villar and Sadain joined the road opening ceremonies.
Provincial Information Office Director Jennie Alonto Tamano said Governor Adiong lobbied the project with JICA and the DPWH during the Marawi siege, realizing that diversion roads were needed in Marawi City in emergency situations.
On the second day of the Marawi siege, residents escaped the city for Iligan City via the Emi Road where a heavy traffic jam clogged the northbound lane in hours, recalled Tamano.