THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is eyeing the conversion of up to 162,895 kilometers of local roads into national roads in order to keep up with economic developments in the city. “Converting these local roads into national roads will be advantageous to the city since it can already be included in the budget of the national government,” Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III said in an interview, adding that district engineer Wilfredo Aguilar has sent a memorandum along those lines to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar. Mr. Aguilar said the identified roads as will be included in the Regular Infrastructure Program of the national government. A total of 65.853 kilometers of local roads in the first congressional district of the city have been included in the list of proposed roads for conversion while a total of 97.02 kilometers in the second congressional district have been included in the lost of proposed roads for conversion. The committee on transportation is set to conduct a hearing on the proposal. — Carmencita A. Carillo
