THE Department of Trade and Industry in Negros Island Region (DTI-NIR) is pushing for the construction of more road networks in Negros Occidental to further strengthen the local business sector.
DTI-NIR Director Asteria Caberte, who also heads the agency in Central Visayas in a concurrent capacity, said these road networks will strategically link enterprises to major ports, warehouses, processing areas, and most importantly to markets.
“Road networks will surely boost the ease of doing business in the province,” Caberte said, adding that “these will also improve the competitiveness of local farmers, producers, and entrepreneurs as better accessibility reduces their transportation costs.”
The DTI has partnered with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the implementation of the Roads Leveraging Linkages of Industry and Trade (Roll It) program.
Under which, the two agencies have identified two priority road networks in the province with an allocation of about P111 million.
These are the 2.4-kilometer road concreting project in San Carlos City amounting to P75 million, and rehabilitation of 1.3-kilometer road in Bago City worth P36 million.
The DTI has worked on the identification of the priority area for development, which is expected to start next year. The funding will come from the 2018 General Appropriations Act, specifically under the annual budget of the DPWH.
Caberte said the DTI will push for the development of more road networks in the province through the Roll It program, which will be implemented within the six-year term of President Rodrigo Duterte.
She pointed out that there is a need for more road networks in Negros Occidental as there are still potential production areas that are challenged by poor market accessibility.
“There are still many growth centers that need to be developed by establishing road networks because it will significantly push the economy of the province upward,” she added.
The DTI official said that “all districts in Negros Occidental should have road networks.”
The Roll It program may cover development of existing roads, not necessarily new, which could be identified depending mainly on the need of the industries.
Launched in 2016, the convergence program of the two agencies is focusing on addressing the need of the country’s 12 priority industries.
These are electronic manufacturing services, automotive and auto parts, aerospace parts, chemicals, ship building, furniture and garments, tool and die for engineering works, agri-business, information and technology-business process management (IT-BPM), transport and logistics, tourism and construction.
For Negros Occidental, the DTI identified agribusiness and IT-BPM as among the strongest industries.
