LAMITAN, BASILAN—U.S. Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney and Sec. Hermogenes Esperon, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, yesterday [10 July 2008] inaugurated a bridge built here by the U.S. government in partnership with the provincial and municipal governments and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The new 42-meter Camanse Bridge, constructed by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, connects seven barangays and part of the neighboring municipality of Tipo-Tipo with Lamitan City, a major RORO port and trading hub in Basilan. The bridge replaced an old spillway which regularly overflowed, posing a danger to travelers who used it to cross the Camanse river.
Ambassador Kenney said that the bridge was one of 870 infrastructure projects constructed by USAID throughout ARMM and conflict-affected areas of Mindanao, and one of 40 in Basilan. “We are always ready to work with our Philippine partners in support of peace and economic development,” Ambassador Kenney said.
“This is not only a bridge for providing access, it is also a bridge for building friendship and solidarity,” said Sec. Esperon.
Present at the inauguration were Governor Jum Jainuddin Akbar, Lamitan Mayor Roderick Furigay, USAID Mission Director Jon Lindborg, and USAID Economic Growth Advisor Robert Barnes.
“This past year, we’ve seen positive changes in our city’s economy, brought about by assistance provided by USAID,” said Mayor Furigay. “There are two earlier GEM infrastructure projects which are getting great results—the RORO facility in our port and the Tuburan road improvement. I’m certain the Camanse bridge will show the same positive results.”
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