ROAD safety is everyone's concern, thus the public is strongly advised to report any unattended street holes and diggings that have no safety warnings or barricades to Central 911 or the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
This was what Davao City Councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta said during the Katikaran sa Konseho on Davao City Disaster Radio on March 4, 2020 when a netizen asked what her committee would do especially that canal diggings in Barangay Talomo River, Calinan, Davao City has already claimed the life of a pedestrian a few weeks ago.
"Kasi kung batas lang, di na tayo kailangang gumawa ng bagong batas kasi there are already existing laws regarding this (There is no need to create a law on this because there are already existing laws on it)," Acosta said.
On February 5, the body of a man was discovered in an ongoing constructed canal in Brgy. Talomo River. He was believed to have been drunk and accidentally fallen the night before.
The canal has been dug for sewerage.
Acosta said the DPWH is mandated to clear the roads of obstacles and barricades.
"So kung naa moy nahibal-an nga nagpasagad lang ang contractors (ug) wala nagsunod og safety precaution ireport po natin kaagad, get in touch with 911 kung wala ta kabalo sa number sa DPWH (If you know contractors that are doing road works or diggings that put people at risk and are not following safety precautions, report this to 911 or DPWH)," she added.
Acosta is also enjoining the public in reporting the lapses of any contractor, even private ones so that these can easily be addressed by the DPWH.
She added that private contractors are obligated to put safety warnings and barriers when they conduct road construction.