Chan to DPWH: Assign someone to man traffic in project areas

Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan calls out to the Department of Public Works and Highways to coordinate with them regarding their projects to ease traffic in these areas. | CDN Digital file photo (Futch Anthony Inso)

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan will call the attention of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regarding the implementation of different drainage and road construction projects in the city.

Chan said that these projects had resulted in heavy traffic in the streets, due to a lack of coordination with the city.

“Gi-call-up nato ang attention sa DPWH ani, regarding aning ilang pagtrabaho sa improvement sa atong roads. Atoa pod unta nga naay motabang ug man sa traffic and contractor kay suppose to be that’s the arrangement nga motabang sila ug dili ra sila magsalig sa atong traffic enforcers,” Chan said.

(We are calling the attention of the DPWH, regaring their work on the improvement of our roads. For us, there should be someone who would help us in manning the traffic and the contractor should help and that is supposed to be the arrangement and not that they would just leave everything to the traffic enforcers.)

He also urged the agency and its contractors to fast-track their works to ease the traffic situation.

Road construction projects by the DPWH are implemented in Barangay Buaya; Tamiya and Sudtunggan in Barangay Basak; Barangay Agus; Barangay Pajo, among others.

Mario Napole, City Traffic Management System (CTMS) head,  however, assured motorists that traffic enforcers would be stationed in these areas.

But he admitted that their personnel were very limited.

“Ako lang hangyo sa contractor nga naa gyud sila’y tawo nga at least maka-assist sa mga tawo. Kay ang akong mga tawo mokaon baya na. At least naay mo-relibo,” Napole said.

(I am appealing to the contractor that they will assign a person at least to assist our traffic enforcers because they to have to take a break to eat. At least, there is someone, who can take over.)

Napole is also asking motorists to be patient and to travel ahead of their schedule to avoid being late.

Engineer Evangeline Cuadrasal, project engineer of DPWH-7, for her part, said that he would look into the complaints of the mayor.

“Akong ingnon ang contractor sir nga magbutang ug tawo nga mo-man sa traffic. Nagsalig ra man gud mi nga dunay traffic enforcer nga gi-deploy didto ang CTMS,” Cuadrasal said.

(I will ask the contractor to assign a person to man the traffic. We are just expecting that there are traffic enforcers deployed there by the CTMS.)

She also said that they also experienced some delays in the implementation of the road widening project in Barangay Buaya due to frequent rains and the slow process in acquiring the properties on the roadside.

“Pero karon nga medyo ni-init-init na ang panahon, ako gyung giingnan ang contractor nga paspasan nila ang ilang trabaho,” she added.

(But now the weather is sunny, I told the contractor to hasten their work.)/dbs