The Catanduanes Circumferential Road Improvement Project (CCRIP)

October 22, 2007: Inaugurated was the 79.818-kilometer road stretching from San Andres to Viga and five (5) bridges, which are components of the fourth phase of the Arterial Road Links Development Project.

Pagsangahan bridge

Total project cost amounted to approximately 1.1 billion pesos and was financed by Official Development Assistance from the Government of Japan. This road section is the biggest in the planned 200-kilometer Catanduanes Circumferential Road Improvement Project.

• CP I: Codon-San Andres-Virac-Viga Road (79.848 kms.) - completed
  
• CP II: Viga-Bagamanoc Road (9.985 kms.) - in progress
  
• CP III: Bagamanoc-Pandan Road (48.106 kms.) - in progress
  
• CP IV: Pandan-Caramoran-Codon (62.221 kms.) - in progress

The second phase of the multibillion-peso Catanduanes Circumferential Road Improvement Project (CCRIP) has been included in the 28th Yen Loan Package of the Japanese government.

Target Completion: 2010

RELATED LINKS:

• The Way We Were - State of circumferential road to Payo from Virac during its construction phase.

The Way We Were

Traveling or driving going to northern Catanduanes was really thrilling, challenging and fun particularly during the construction of the Catanduanes Circumferential Road Improvement Project (CCRIP) - Phase I. I used to drive at the 60 kilometers stretch many times. Maneuvering requires some intuition, guts and lots of common sense so as your vehicle would not be stuck in the mud and loose earth. Indeed, a big difference if one is used to city driving.

During my frequent trips, I used to wonder that the whole stretch could be a good venue for an off-road car rally. All the challenges were in placed, muddy and dry in some section, blind curves, uphill and downhill drives.

For the commuting public, at that time, one has to squeezed-in into overcrowded public vehicles. Average travel time then was 3-4 hours, yet I never heard anyone complained about their horrendous trip. All were anticipating for a better road.

In October 2007, the CCRIP - Phase I was completed and inaugurated.

In progress is the 120.36 km. from Viga to Codon, San Andres (CCRIP - Phase II) with an estimated budget cost of Php 2.8B.

RELATED LINKS:

• The Road Going to North - Travelling from Virac to northern towns of Viga, Panganiban and Bagamanoc is much better off now compared to 4 years ago.
• Catanduanes Skyway - Wild suggestion to initiate development of a cable car system to run from Bicol mainland up to northernmost town of Pandan.
• The Catanduanes Circumferential Road Improvement Project (CCRIP) - October 22, 2007: Inaugurated was the 79.818-kilometer road stretching from San Andres to Viga and five (5) bridges, which are components of the fourth phase of the Arterial Road Links Development Project.

Cebu Pacific Flies To Catarman, Calbayog, Virac And Cauayan

Butuan City (9 January) -- Cebu Pacific (CEB) is set to take delivery of its seventh brand-new ATR 72-500 aircraft which it will use to fly to Catarman and Calbayog in Samar, Virac in Catanduanes, and Cauayan, Isabela starting next month.

CEB will also mount additional flights for Manila-Naga from daily to 10 times weekly starting on February 14 and Manila-Busuanga from daily to 11 times weekly starting on February 15.

The new service to Catarman, Samar and Virac, Catanduanes will start on February 14; flights to Calbayog, Samar and Cauayan, Isabela will start on February 18.

Candice Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution, said "We are expanding our Manila hub operations with the arrival of our brand new ATR and will make more areas accessible through our low fares and new planes."

To mark the announcement of these additional services, CEB is offering a promotional P500 all-in 'Go Lite' seat sale for flights from Manila to Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Cauayan, Naga and Virac. The airline has also included select Cebu hub flights to Cotabato, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Legaspi, Ozamiz, Siargao and Tacloban in the promotion.

CEB also announced a zero 'Go Lite' fare seat sale for its Manila-Osaka service. This is exclusive of applicable surcharges and government taxes.

The seat sale will run from January 9 to 14, 2009 and is good for travel from February 1, or the start date of respective flights, to March 31, 2009.

CEB will fly Manila-Catarman and Manila-Virac every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; Manila-Calbayog and Manila-Cauayan on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

For flight schedules and bookings, passengers may log on to www.cebupacificair.com, call the reservations hotline (632) 70-20-888; or visit their nearest travel agent.

Now in its 13th year, CEB has the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines. It flies to 15 international cities and 27, soon to be 32 domestic destinations with the addition of Siargao, Catarman, Calbayog, Virac (Catanduanes), and Cauayan (Isabela) in the coming weeks. (Michelle Eve de Guzman-Cebu Pacific)