THE DEPARTMENT OF Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have assured the administration of Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco that it will fully comply with all the local government requirements for all its infrastructure projects here.
Undersecretary Dimas Soguilon, along with representatives from the DPWH office here, met with local government officials led by Administrator Apple Go and private contractors, to discuss and harmonize national and local government-funded projects.
Also in the meeting were City Legal Officer, lawyer Jesus Carbon, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer, Elmeir Apolinario and City Planning and Development Coordinator, Rodrigo Sicat, and representatives from the Zamboanga City Water District, among others.
Soguilon reassured the City Government that DPWH will proceed with various projects here as soon as all the legal requirements have been complied with by the DPWH. He also apologized to the local government and sought understanding for any lapses that may have been committed by the DPWH in the compliance of requirements.
Among the DPWH projects discussed in the meeting were the planned flyover inter-changes, underpasses and long span bridges to be built along the city’s major thoroughfares, particularly Gov. Camins Avenue, Zamboanga Highway and Veterans Avenue where traffic congestion is heaviest.
Carbon assured Soguilon and private contractors that the City Government has no intention of impeding any of the DPWH plans for Zamboanga, especially the flyover, provided that the on-going road widening project is first completed.
In fact, he said, Mayor Beng Climaco appreciates the efforts of the DPWH to introduce infrastructure projects that will alleviate the lives of the Zamboangueños. Climaco previously said that the local government is supporting the implementation of national infrastructure here, including the proposed flyover project, but reiterated that there is a dire need to widen the roads affected by the construction of the overpass.
The DPWH has been insisting for the construction of the project without the necessary road widening and one of its female engineers even went to the extent of denouncing City Hall on a local radio station for the road-widening needed to proceed with the flyover project. The DPWH project was also used by a politician as part of his propaganda during the campaign period for the midterm polls. He lost in the polls.
Climaco said the expansion of roads is vital for the smooth implementation of the proposed project so as not to further worsen the flow of traffic. The overpass project costs about P600 million and is expected to be completed in at least 500 days, but this could be longer considering how slow the DPWH construct its projects.
Last year, the DPWH conducted a traffic dry run in areas affected by the project – to mimic construction works – but it drew angry reactions from motorists and commuters as well because of the chaotic situation it created even for just a week. (Zamboanga Post. With a report from Claudine Uniana)
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