MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Rep. Rachel Arenas of the Third District of Pangasinan has appealed to the Department of Public Works and Highways to speed up the construction of the Calvo Bridge in Bayambang.

A vital link from Bayambang town to Bautista, the Calvo Bridge underwent construction by the third quarter of last year but appeared the work is not making any progress at all.

Arenas was informed that the people are now getting impatient over the sluggish pace of construction of the Calvo bridge.

The people of Bautista have yet to take a long circuitous road via Villasis, Urdaneta, Sta. Barbara, Calasiao and Malasiqui in going to Bayambang as no detour bridge was provided.

Arenas said she inspected the project last week and was told it will really take long to put up the foundation of the bridge.

The neophyte congresswoman said P70 million was granted by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to make the project a reality.

The Calvo Bridge, which connects Bayambang to Bautista and all the way to Alcala, Sto. Tomas and Rosales towns was damaged during the 1990 earthquake and underwent only major repair.

Arenas said completion of the new Calvo Bridge will not only benefit the people of the Third District but also the fifth and sixth districts of Pangasinan.

Four other bridges, two in Malasiqui, another one in Bayambang and one in Calasiao are also being lined up for construction this year.

All these bridges, including the Calvo bridge, are under the Bridge Program of President Arroyo in the countryside. (PNA)