CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said yesterday it has completed numerous infrastructure projects that would benefit the people of Tarlac.

In Tarlac City, the DPWH Tarlac 1st District Engineering Office has completed two new school buildings in the barangays of San Miguel and San Agustin, enhancing the educational facilities in the aforementioned areas.

These two new school building were built inside the San Agustin Integrated School (SAIS) and San Manuel National High School (SMNHS).

District Engineer Neil Farala said that the P49-million projects, funded under the Department of Education’s Basic Education Facilities Fund in the 2024 national budget and completed on schedule, are intended to enhance learning while also being equipped to support communities during times of need.

These two-story school buildings, each with six classrooms and a floor area of 304 square meters, are designed to provide a spacious learning environment, complete with comfort rooms, water tanks and fire safety equipment to ensure convenience and protection for students and teachers in Barangays San Agustin and San Manuel.

Farala also mentioned that the completion of the projects has provided SAIS and SMNHS with additional classrooms, equipped with new blackboards, wall fans and closed-circuit television, further enhancing the safety and comfort of students and faculty members.

In the town of Concepcion, the DPWH Tarlac 2nd District Engineering Office has recently completed the concreting of the two-lane Barangay San Bartolome Farm-to-Market Road in Concepcion.

The P9.99-million project, completed under the DPWH-Department of Agrarian Reform Convergence Program, is expected to boost the local economy by supporting farmers in large-scale cultivation of rice and other crops, enhancing agricultural productivity and economic growth in the community.

Prior to the project’s completion, barangay chairman Orlando Santos Jr. shared that the previously unpaved road became impassable during the rainy season, making it difficult for farmers and residents to transport fertilizers and goods due to persistent water and mud.

“Nagtiyatiyaga na lang silang pumunta doon, pinapasan na lang nila at pinapahila sa kalabaw. Mabilis na po ngayon, lalo na sa pagdadala ng abono, pagkarga, ng mga kagamitan sa pagsasaka, hindi kagaya noon, doon pa lang pagdadala ng abono, sobrang hirap na, kaya ngayon napabilis na dahil sa pagkakagawa nito,” Santos shared.

Santos also added that the newly completed FMR will help the community, especially the local farmers in the area.

Meanwhile, District engineer Edward Ricardo G. Ramos highlighted that the 560-meter rural road now provides all-weather accessibility, enabling safer travel for farmers while improving the efficiency of transporting goods to markets, reducing spoilage and increasing profits.

In the town of Gerona, a two-storey, P6.86-million Santiago Barangay Hall has been completed by DPWH Tarlac 1st District Engineering Office and is now serving as a hub for delivering basic social services to the community.

District Engineer Neil Farala emphasized that the 109.91-square-meter facility, funded under the 2024 national budget, is designed to accommodate various community programs and activities.