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BY PRINCE GOLEZ, Manila Reporter
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MANILA – Portions of the Diversion Road (now Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue) in Iloilo City now undergoing rehabilitation were not covered by the road widening and improvement done just last year for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, said Director Wenceslao Leano Jr. of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6.
He issued the clarification after questions were raised on the ongoing repairs.
Leano said the three-lane road project, covering a length of about a kilometer and with a budget of “only P23 million,” commenced “last June” and would see completion this month.
According to the DPWH official, the APEC road project only included the widening of roads to accommodate the bike lane and service roads.
“Ang gitna asphalt, hindi ginalaw. Maliit lang na project. You have to excavate to remove the existing asphalt,” he said, referring to the ongoing rehabilitation across SM City Iloilo.
Leano said the road upgrade “from asphalt to concrete” was included in the General Appropriations Act of 2016.
Asphalt roads deteriorate fast, said the regional director.
“‘Pag wala kang intervention, less than five years wala na ‘yan,” added Leano.
Recently, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III criticized the excavations of “usable roads” here and in other urban areas.
The demolition of cement roads with asphalt overlays is “highly questionable” since some of these roads are still in good condition, said Pimentel who is seeking to investigate the matter.
“Our public works people are spending public money as if it is going out-of-style tomorrow to the prejudice of many rural areas where these projects are badly needed,” Pimentel added./PN
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