Rama wants railings, islands gone from Gorordo, Salinas

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama inspects the railings at Gorordo Avenue with some officials.

Concrete center islands, iron railings and other barriers along Gorordo Ave. and Salinas Drive will soon be gone.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said this after yesterday’s early morning walk-through with Cebu City officials and representatives of agencies within the area.

“What’s to be done starting today, massively implemented by the engineering department under Jomar Poblete and (Cebu City Traffic Operations Management) under Rafael Yap and Joy Tumulak. This is the removal of all islands within the area of Gorordo (corner) Mango Ave. all the way to Salinas Drive as well as going towards Busay,” he said.

He said the concrete barrier and railings in the intersection near the Asilo dela Milagrosa prevents motorists coming from the side of Gorordo near Colegio dela Inmaculada Concepcion going to JY, to make a left turn going to F. Sotto drive.

Aside from the center island and barrier, the mayor also ordered the removal of the railings along the sidewalk except for those located near schools like in Lahug Elementary School. But these railings still have to be cut down.

Sidewalks

“The iron railings should not appear as if we are dividing it like west and east Berlin. But rather it has to be enough, not that high. We only have to bring railings to deter children from climbing it and to warn adults that they cannot cross that area,” Rama said.

While the mayor wanted the barriers and railings addressed immediately, he also ordered the recovery of sidewalks that he said were already encroached by establishments and residents.

He said in most cases it only took one person or establishment to start encroaching and they were followed by others.

“We are just affirming something long overdue to be done. In general, we will just be pursuing the direction that what belongs to the people should be given back to the people. And we’re talking about widened roads and sidewalks,” Rama said.

The mayor said the removal of the railings isn’t just for the forthcoming meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) this year or next year’s International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) but for everyone living in Cebu City.

These concerns should be addressed in a “compartmentalized, sectoral and phase-by-phase approach”, Rama said.

Barriers

City Engr. Jose Marie Poblete who also joined the walk-through said the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW)  will start planning on how to implement the mayor’s orders to dismantle the barriers.

He said the city may need to ask for help from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in scraping off the barriers and filling them with asphalt.

The DPWH Cebu City District Engineering Office currently has a P45.5 million project along Gorordo Avenue that started last February.

It is halfway done, said Engr. Mariano Po, who heads the district office.

“The project includes asphalt overlay with thermoplastic pavement markings, construction of drainage system, and improvement of sidewalk. Asphalt overlay was already completed, the thermoplastic pavement markings were almost done,” he said.

Final notice

Po said they are still working on the excavation and hauling permits for the drainage project while they have started work on the sidewalks.

Raquel Arce, head of City Hall’s Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement (Probe) team, said the DPWH sent two rounds of notices to owners and settlers who encroached on the sidewalk for them to remove their structures.

“The DPWH notices will become our basis for the city’s final notice because this is a joint clearing operation and restoration of sidewalks,” she said.

The regional Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA-7) office started setting back its fence along Salinas Drive. The fence will be set back by 2.5 meters.