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On WB report on the country’s road condition: Sen. Imee Marcos, during Tuesday’s virtual hearing of the Finance Subcommittee A, October 19, 2021 on the proposed 2022 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its attached corporations, cites a recent World Bank (WB) finding stating that only less than half of the country’s roads are in “decent” condition. Marcos said the WB report, the data of which also came from the DPWH, stated that only 43.79 percent, or 33,120 kilometers of roads in the country are in good condition. “The roads that are in poor or bad condition, meaning largely or almost un-passable are upwards of 5,000 kilometers, or 16 percent. What is your plan about this... may we know what we can do about this, because it seems the condition of our roads is getting worse rather than better,” Marcos asked. DPWH Usec. Ma. Catalina Cabral said the DPWH is primarily in charge of the national roads. Their condition, because of the passage of time and other challenges such as calamities, deteriorates. She said the DPWH has programs like repair and rehabilitation of damaged roads, preservation program, preventive maintenance and improvement or upgrading of these national roads.(Screen grab/Senate PRIB)