HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez took cognizance of the need to provide farmers in the north easier access to the markets in Manila for their products via the revival of railroad system.

Alvarez echoed the need when the Congressional Caravan on Field Inspection for Northern and Central Luzon that started June 1 and made a brief stop-over in Dagupan City and Pangasinan on June 5 while on its way back to Manila.

In a talk to local newsmen, he noted that in order to bring northern Luzon closer to Metro Manila, the railways system that used to run from south to north and vice versa be restored.

“Perhaps, we can bring back the railways going to the north, which used to be existing before. It will be a big boon to farmers as they can easily bring  their products and goods to Manila where the big markets are located,” Alvarez said.

The Speaker, however, lamented that it will take years to build a railways system and that won’t be possible to see it done during President Duterte’s term.

He said the railways project can be started by the present administration through Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) for funding to be completed by the next administration.

At the same time, noting the serious congestion in the highways of the roads vis-a-vis the big volume of traffic from south to north while leading the Congressional Caravan, Alvarez also sees the need to widen the existing two-lane highway  from Pangasinan to Laoag to four lanes considering the increasing volume of vehicles in the region.

There is perhaps local money available for use in expanding the roads but not for railways, whose funding should be sourced out from abroad, he added. (Leonardo Micua/Tita Roces)

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