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Friday, February 20, 2004
Glo angry over neglect by DPWH on road repair
By Karen M. Flores
CEBU -- The condition of the Naga-Uling road once again angered President Arroyo during a pooled radio broadcast Thursday in Cebu and Bohol, when she was told that no construction work has started yet.
Speaking in Cebuano, Arroyo said that even if the P555-million rehabilitation is the responsibility of the Project Monitoring Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Manila, Director Juanito Abergas of DPWH 7 should also look out for it.
The 34.81-kilometer national highway is a critical link between Cebu's southern and western towns.
Arroyo promised to personally call Secretary Florante Soriquez of DPWH to ask about the progress of the Naga-Uling road and see if this can be fast-tracked.
The President was also upset when she was told that Abergas refers all queries from the media on the state of the undertaking to DPWH-Manila.
"Kon mao na iyang tubag, maayo tingali adto na lang siya sa Manila. (If that's how he answers, maybe he should stay in Manila.) That's the responsibility of the Region 7 director," she noted.
She recalled that when she blew her top about the Naga-Uling road during her visit to the area last March 2003, she almost ordered Abergas' transfer then.
Getting worse
Since Arroyo's visit here, the bidding schedule has apparently been moved from late last year to April 2004.
Also since then, the road link has not improved at all. If any, second engineering district chief Marlina Alviso said over radio dyLA that it has become worse.
It is practically a "gravel road" now as the portions that used to be paved in asphalt have disintegrated. The most recurring complaints are about the potholes and dust.
Alviso also noted that the current implementation schedule may yet be derailed by the election ban, since information they got indicated that the project is supposed to be bid out between April and May.
Regional Attorney Marshall Rubia of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 7 said that while the project may be exempted from the prohibition on the starting of projects from March 26 to May 9, it could be covered by the restriction on the release of funds for public works.
Starting March 26, the election ban will cover the release of funds for public works projects. Delivery of materials and actual construction will also be banned.
In a phone interview, Rubia said projects whose preparation started before the election ban, as well as those that are foreign-funded, may proceed as scheduled.
The rehabilitation of the Naga-Uling road, as well as six bridges there, will be funded by a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
In the meantime, Alviso said all they can do is alleviate the inconvenience of the potholes by filling these up and sprinkling water on the road to minimize the dust.
(February 20, 2004 issue)
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