Camarines Sur nat'l road named after late lawmaker Fuentebella

A national road in the province of Camarines Sur, eyed to be the country's adventure capital, has been formally named after a lawmaker who played a pivotal role in the province's current progress state.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over the weekend signed into law Republic Act 11990, naming the Camarines Sur national highway to the late former House Speaker Arnulfo "Noli" Fuentebella, who succumbed to heart failure after battling kidney disease for nearly two years.

He was 74.

The Speaker Arnulfo "Noli" Fuentebella Highway stretches from Barangay San Juan Bautista, traversing through Barangays Tagongtong, Abucayan, Hiwacloy, Digidigon, Balaynan, and Payatan in the municipality of Goa.

It also covers Barangays Lupi, Tierra Nevada, Binalay, Camagong, Salvacion, San Roque, San Ramon, Sagrada, La Medella, Magsaysay, and San Vicente in the municipality of Tinambac up to Barangay Nalayahan in the municipality of Siruma.

Incumbent 3rd District Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr., the bill's proponent, said this is to perpetuate the memory of Fuentabella, who has achieved a full measure of greatness and has rendered exemplary service not only to his constituents but also to the Filipino people.

Fuentebella started his legislative career after winning a seat in the historic Interim Batasang Pambansa in 1978, a transitional body created by the late former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. following the abolition of the Philippine Congress in 1972.

He represented the 3rd District of Camarines Sur from 1992 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2010, and eventually ran and was elected for the fourth District of the same province from 2010 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2019.

Fuentebella held the top House post in November 2020 following the ouster of ex-Las Piñas Rep. Manuel Villar, but he was also unseated after two months, replaced by then Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte, whom then newly installed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed.

Bordado cited the Fuentebella's exemplary contributions in Camarines Sur 4th district, which, he said, has since improved the quality of life of their constituents.

"The [4th District] now boasts of several commendable institutions like the Partido Development Administration, Partido State University, Philippine Science High School-Bicol Campus, Partido Water Supply System, DPWH 3rd Engineering District, 42 national high schools, and several facilities," Bordado said in his bill.

Fuentebella also established a network of roads, highways, and bridges that connected ten municipalities and the rest of the province, added Bordado.

Fuentebella's son, incumbent 4th District Rep. Arnie Fuentebella, thanked Marcos for signing the bill into law as well as Bordado for sponsoring the same.

"Tatay Noli, thank you for dreaming of a better future for us. I am inspired now more than ever to continue working for the progress of the District and I hope I too can make you proud," Arnie said in a Facebook post on Monday.