Closure held off

Mayor Rama meets with business representatives whose establishments will be affected by the road closure and repair of S. Osmeña Road in the North Reclamation Area.

Complaints from businessmen prompted the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to postpone for a few more days the start of repair of potholes in S. Osmeña Road in Cebu City.

More time will be given to inform the pubic about the road closure, originally set for today,  so that businesses in the North Reclamation Area  won’t suffer from the loss of customers.

Major store sales are timed for payday on March 15.

Sherry Tuvilla, regional operations manager for SM Malls, said they need one week to inform customers about the road closure.

She said the postponement would also  allow SM to properly manage traffic in their area during the mall sale on March 14 – 16.

“This (the concreting project) cannot be done with such a short notice. We should be given alternative roads because we are a traffic generator. Alternative roads should be prepared first,” she said.

Also present were shipping owner  Chester Cokaliong and representatives from  Radisson Blu hotel.

The national road’s concrete pavement will be stripped and replaced in a 900 meter stretch of  S. Osmeña Road starting from the corner of Juan Luna Extension near SM City Cebu/ Radisson Blu to the corner of Gen. Maxilom Avenue. Road.

The work will last  five months, the DPWH said.

This is part of the P289 million concreting of 2.5 kilometer stretch of the S. Osmeña Road from the Mahiga Bridge to the corner of Palma Street near the Cebu Technological University (CTU).

Mayor Michael Rama met with about 10 businessmen at  City Hall  to listen to their concerns and let business dialogue with DPWH officials.

Mayor Rama said that before he allows the start of the road project, DPWH, Cebu Ports Authority  and businesses affected should sign a Memorandum of Understanding.

Rama asked City Legal Office Jerone Castillo to draft the MOU which he intends to sign when DPWH Regional Director Ador Canlas is available.

Agency representatives faced the businessmen  since Canlas and Cebu City engineering district head Fernando Cruz were in Manila on official business.

Traffic Rerouting

Rerouting maps and advisories were published in local dailies last week and broadcasted by the Philippine Information Agency.

Joy Tumulak, Citom operations head, said  alternative roads were already designated and traffic enforcers assigned to 14 affected intersections.

Business Losses

Cokaliong said the road  closure would affect their business operations and hamper access to  the new location of Cebu City courthouses in the Qimonda building in Pier 5.

SM City’s Tuvilla said DPWH officials failed to relay information about the road project when they met on March 3 to plan the beautification of S. Osmeña Road which Mayor  Rama is spearheading.
“There should have been public consultation to prepare everybody. Total closure will affect companies in the area because we will already be without access,” she added./with reports from Correspondent Jose Santino Bunachita