TACLOBAN CITY — A new road and bridge project under the government's Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program is expected to end the isolation of 27 geographically isolated barangays in Catubig, Northern Samar.

For years, residents have relied on small boats and makeshift rafts to cross the Catubig River, with travel becoming dangerous or impossible during the monsoon season and periods of heavy rainfall as floodwaters cut off roads and communities.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), the lead agency overseeing PAMANA projects, on Thursday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the infrastructure project alongside Northern Samar Gov. Harris Ongchuan, Rep. Edwin Ongchuan and local officials.

The project consists of a 2.48-kilometer two-lane road and a 151-meter concrete bridge linking the town proper of Catubig to Barangay Calingnan.

Governor Ongchuan said the project supports the provincial government's goal of building communities where essential services are more accessible and where peace and economic development go hand in hand.

Once completed, the road network is expected to provide a safer and faster route for the movement of people, goods and services while improving access to education, healthcare, government services and security.

Officials also expect the infrastructure project to stimulate local economic activity and strengthen connectivity for communities that have long faced transportation challenges due to the swelling waters of the Catubig River.