DPWH rushes road repairs

MANILA, Philippines - With the rainy season about to start, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is rushing to finish the road repair works in Metro Manila, an official said yesterday.

DPWH-National Capital Region (NCR) director Reynaldo Tagudando said they have encountered delays in their road repair works this summer partly because of the restrictions imposed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

He said that since April, the MMDA has not given them permits to do road repair works particularly along EDSA and in areas where there is heavy traffic.

Tagudando said it was only last Thursday when they were allowed to resume repairs along EDSA.

“We were told it was the election season, political season and (road repairs) would only add to the traffic so we had to postpone” the planned works, he said.

According to Tagudando, the DPWH was asked to stop repairs during political rallies, motorcades and mall sales along EDSA.  

“Actually now we are able to work because the elections are over…For as long as we would be given a permit, we would work double time…All of these road repair works have contracts so the instruction of DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson was that we should work overtime because rainy season would start soon.”

The DPWH official added that repairs were being done along Commonwealth Avenue, Quirino Highway, EDSA, Corregidor Road, and C.P. Garcia Avenue in Quezon City.

The DPWH also allotted time and personnel for the cleaning and declogging of the drainage system in preparation for the rainy season.