Groundbreaking Road Project to Connect Isolated Town of Maslog to National Highway

MASLOG, EASTERN SAMAR – The isolated town of Maslog in Eastern Samar is set to be connected to the national highway as construction begins on the final segment of the Carolina-Dolores-Maslog Road, a project valued at PHP300 million. A groundbreaking ceremony held on Monday marked the commencement of the last phase of road concreting, aimed at integrating the town more fully into regional infrastructure and boosting local development.

According to Philippines News Agency, the completion of this road is highly anticipated by the town’s residents, who have faced geographic isolation for generations. “Once this road is complete, this will facilitate development and address poverty, which is the root cause of insurgency,” Santiago stated, highlighting the project’s potential to significantly improve local living conditions and economic opportunities.

The road’s completion is expected to drastically reduce travel times for residents, particularly students attending the Eastern Samar State University satellite campus in nearby Can-avid town. Currently, these students endure a cumbersome three to four-hour journey involving river crossings and multiple rides. The new road will cut this travel time down to just 45 minutes, according to residents like Merlie Oplado, 57, from Bulawan village, who also noted the potential benefits for access to education.

While several sections of the road are already paved, more than four kilometers remain to be opened and concreted. House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, a native of Eastern Samar who led the groundbreaking, emphasized the project’s significance. “Due to climate change and global warming, this area is severely affected by flooding, which badly affects our farmers. That is why we need this road and bridge project to help them,” Libanan said, underscoring the additional importance of the road in terms of climate resilience.

Maslog, classified as a 5th-class town, stands as the least populated municipality in the Visayas with a population of 5,463 as of 2020. The road is expected to be completed within the year, marking a significant milestone in the town’s development trajectory.