Do road repair work at night, DPWH chief orders

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced yesterday that road repairs conducted by its personnel in Metro Manila will be done at night to avoid traffic snarls during the day.

In what seemed like a lifetime for the department to realize, DPWH Secretary Simeon Datumanong said he has ordered asphalt patching of roads to be done at night in response "to motorists’ complaints." Major repairs, on the other hand, will still go on round the clock.

"If it can be avoided, there must be no work during rush hours. And if we begin road maintenance work at night, it must be completed by sunrise," said Datumanong in a statement.

Datumanong made the directive to all regional directors reportedly in reiteration of standing DPWH regulations as to "traffic mitigation and safety precaution measures during daytime repair works."

DPWH National Capital Region director Salvador Pleyto was not available to answer questions why the DPWH’s rule on road repairs was not being followed. Pleyto was reportedly attending a Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) meeting. – Jose Aravilla