DIPOLOG CITY, Zamboanga del Norte — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assured today that the P1.326-billion Sibuco-Siraway-Siocon-Baliguian (SSSB) Road project in this province would be finished as scheduled in 2009 to bring development and prevent the access of terrorists in the area.

In a media interaction following the inauguration of the Zamboanga del Norte Medical Center here, the President said the road project would now be undertaken by the Engineering Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) since the private contractors of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are shying away due to the presence of lawless elements in the area.

"Because this is really a very poor and very remote area, maybe it should not be given to the private contractors because they are afraid of going there. It is a missionary area. If necessary, we will assign the Engineering Brigade to be the one to carry it out," she explained.

The President said she would apprise Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane of this development.

She said the road network area is where American Gracia Burnham was rescued by government troops and where her captor, then Abu Sayyaf chief Abu

Sabaya, was killed back in 2002.

"That is the area that we want to bring development because the poverty and the isolation make it easy for them to hide these lawless elements," the President pointed out.

The road network is part of the 20 priority road projects that the government is improving, rehabilitating or constructing by 2010.

Once finished, the road network project is expected to improve the peace and order, socio-economic, and cultural linkages in Zamboanga del Norte by providing access to the centers of agricultural, industrial, fishing, commercial and tourism activities.

The province's agricultural products include cacao and cassava, aside from the coconut oil mill in Sirawai town which is being shipped to key cities in the country via Siocon town or this city.

The road project which traverses the towns of Sibuco, Sirawai, Siocon and Baliguian in Zamboanga del Norte is part of the President's concept of spurring development in the super regions through the rehabilitation and establishment of road and sea networks. (PIA-ZN)