LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Public Works and Highways and the Philippine National Police in Bicol Region said all is set for Albay province to host a series of meetings of the 2017 Association of Southeast Asian Nations Conference.
Scheduled from Tuesday to Sunday next week, the Asean meeting will be held at the Misibis Bay Beach Resort.
It is the second time the Bicol region and Albay is slated to host foreign dignitaries, but the first time to stage it successfully, weather permitting.
The first opportunity came in 2015, when Manila was the host of the Asean Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. Then-governor Joey Salceda lobbied hard for Albay and Bicol to host part of the Apec meetings, but inclement weather forced Malacañang to abort the plans just three days before schedule.
“We hope the Asean Conference of delegates in Albay would push through, barring another unforeseen event,” said Salceda who is now the congressman of the province’s second district.
Misibis Resort is on Cagraray Island off Bacacay town in the first district. Most of the delegates are expected to arrive via airplane at the international airport in this city.
DPWH Regional Director Danilo Versola met with 16 district engineers and maintenance officials to ensure the roads are clean and ready, complete with traffic signages amid the massive road widening projects here.
Many are concerned with the severe traffic congestion near the Legazpi airport and the Daraga section to Camalig town in the second district, which forms part of the Maharlika Highway.
Amid the road widening projects here, the PNP reported 7,427 vehicular accidents in Albay alone from 2015 to 2016. Last year, the province reported 3,863 accidents, said Albay police spokesman Senior Police Inspector Art Gomez.
Still, the security preparations for the Asean delegates are complete, said Bicol police regional director Chief Supt. Wilfredo Gardiola.
The DPWH is hoping traffic in the first district of Albay is all cleared with the simultaneous construction and widening of a dozen major bridges along the 35-kilometer route passing the towns of Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, Malilipot, Tabaco City, Malinao and Tiwi.
Versola has urged the three Albay district engineers to coordinate closely with local authorities to see to it that during the Asean Conference the roads are free from solar drying of palay and other agricultural products, which the first district is most noted for. Some residents and traders protect these harvests with big stones, blocking sizable parts of the roads, the DPWH director said.