Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon vowed to accelerate the completion of segmented road projects in Samar and Leyte following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Dizon said the president has ordered the DPWH to prioritize road construction projects that would ease the daily lives of residents, particularly in Eastern Visayas.

According to the DPWH chief, the government aims to complete unfinished or segmented road sections across the region to improve travel time for motorists and commuters.

“Marami mga priority roads connecting the three provinces of Samar, also ibang mga priority roads [Lope De Vega] natin lalung-lalo na yung anti-insurgency efforts ng ating AFP na talagang priority ng ating Pangulo. So, ang commitment ng Pangulo sa kanila, ang commitment ng Presidente, hindi lang sa Samar kundi sa buong Region 8 is we will finally implement all these projects,” Dizon said after meeting with local chief executives from Samar and Leyte.

Dizon said the president specifically mentioned the three roads connecting Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, which cover nearly eight kilometers of segmented road sections.

Aside from completing these portions, the DPWH also plans to repair road segments that are already in poor condition to ensure they are fully usable.

The infrastructure push is also expected to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ campaign against insurgency in the region by improving mobility and accessibility.

“The president wanted those ‘putol-putol’ na kalsada to be in good condition and this is our priority not only Samar but the whole Region 8,” Dizon said.