Macanlalay bullish after opening of major bridge

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO – The chief executive of this puto-making town hopes businesses affected by the closure of a major bridge here recovers.

ABONO FETED IN CALASIAO: A representative of Abono
 Party-list Congressman Conrad Estrella (2^nd from right) who
 representedhim was exhilarated after Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy
 Macanlalay (extreme right) gave the solon and the
party a plaque of appreciation during the closing
ceremony in December 26 of the vaunted puto festival held
at Robinsons mall in Calasiao, Pangasinan. Abono was feted
 because of its all-out support that included financial assistance
 for the festival.

Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay said the closure for two years of the Villamil Bridge became a bane not only to the people here but to the businessmen in the peripheries of the bridge who bore the brunt of a lethargic sale of their goods after commuters, passerby, and motorists shun the areas.

The closure affects also residents of the 14- village town who have to shell more fares for an additional six kilometers detour road.

“Gradually the economy recovers and returns to its robust self. We hope the economy becomes bullish this year,” he stressed in Filipino.

He said his constituents were excited when they learned that the bridge was opened last December to light vehicles.

“Its closure has been a bane for them for two years”.

Earlier, Vice Mayor Roy Macanlalay of this Central Pangasinan town said the delay of the construction of the Villamil Bridge deprived this municipality by 40 percent of its usual collection.

According to District Engineer Marietta Mendoza, of the 2^nd Engineering Sub-District Office of the Department of the Public Works and Highway, the bridge was constructed with the assistance from the Spanish Government that funds it with P90 million grants. Mendoza, however, said that the Philippine government allocated a bigger amount to complete the project.