Road contractor misses target anew

CEBU, Philippines - It appears that residents and motorists near the Basak-Marigondon road in Lapu-Lapu City will have to endure one more month of traffic snarls in the area.

Allan Pedrigal, officer-in-charge of the City Engineering Office, said the Department of Public Works and Highways has extended the timeline of the road project to December 22.

"Nag-extend og 180 meters ang DPWH gikan duol sa (Mactan Doctors’) Hospital padulong sa Gaisano Grand Mall," Pedrigal explained.

The DPWH had also suggested to put up a drainage within the area because it reportedly has a remaining budget of around P20 million, according to Pedrigal.

Roadworks on that stretch were initially scheduled to be completed by September of this year. Allegedly because of bad weather, the DPWH missed to hit their target and thus moved the deadline to November.

This is the second time, therefore, that the department has moved the project’s target date of completion.

"Nagkaistorya mi sa DPWH. Niingon (sila) nga basin mahuman igka December 22, dili pa sila sure basin maabtan pa og January," Pedrigal said.

Ven-Ray Construction is the contractor undertaking the project.

The area under construction is near the hospital which became a concern a few months ago because it was hard for ambulances and other rescue vehicles to comb through the area’s heavy traffic.

Pedrigal said one of the factors that triggered the delay of polishing the road was the unpredictable weather conditions that the city had allegedly experienced.

Pedrigal said traffic situation along the Basak-Marigondon road these days is “already bearable” for private vehicles, tricycles and jeepneys compared to the situation in the past couple of months when motorists and pedestrians described the traffic as “causing headache.”

"Magdepende sad sa contractor kung mahuman ba gyud nila," Pedrigal clarified.

Based on the State of the City Address of Mayor Paz Radaza last August 27, the said contractor would be able to complete the project by the month of September or early October this year.

Pedrigal said these two months were the deadlines primarily agreed between the contractor and the DPWH after the concreting job kicked off early this year.

However, some parts of the street going to Basak and Marigondon remain occupied with construction backhoes until now while portions of the road are still dug up and with muddy puddles.

According to Pedrigal, the city has experienced heavy downpour since the first day of October but he said the DPWH has assured they will get back to work as soon as the weather cooperates.

Pedrigal said their office is continuously doing follow-ups in order for the road work to get done within the target month of November.

Earlier, residents, motorists and workers have expressed to The FREEMAN their dismay over the heavy traffic caused by the ongoing road project in the area.

Some tricycle drivers and public utility jeepneys are also having a hard time reaching their passengers' destinations.

A school, Mactan Export Processing Zone 2 and a community hospital are three of the main establishments located along the stretch. (FREEMAN)