New Samar SP intercede rehabilitation of Maharlika Highway

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
July 21, 2007

CATBALOBAN CITY, Samar  –  In the past two sessions of the Samar Sangguniang Panlalawigan, SP members took turns in grilling Samar’s Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 2nd District Engineer Virgilio Arayon for the snail-paced  rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway.

Samarnons have time and again clamor for better roads especially since it is Maharlika Highway that links Luzon and Mindanao.

In a radio interview over DYMS in the CCATMAN program “Panginano-a Daw” Presiding Officer and Vice Governor Jesus Redaja said that the SP was not satisfied with Arayon’s explanation as to why the repair is very slow.

Redaja further said that motorists are irked because of the so many cracks grilled by the contractor for the so called crack-and-set rehabilitation method. The engineers, he said have explained that the cracks were made, to be later filled with surfacing materials where four layers of cement and asphalt would be overlaid.

However, the builders admitted that their lack of equipments also contributed to the slow phase by layman’s standard.

Though the builders admitted that they have just had an accomplishment of 7%, they are not worried because they are right on schedule. They assured the legislative body of Samar that they would finish the job in 1,020 days from Calbiga to Tizon (Catbalogan) and another 1,080 days for the remaining stretch to Calbayog City and beyond.

The SP identified the road areas in Barangay Maulong, Mahayag and San Vicente all in Catbalogan as a motorist’ s nightmare because of the worst road condition.

Redaja said that they could not just ignore the difficulty that besets travelers and motorists with the road condition in the province that is why he said they have to summon DPWH.

The Vice Governor explained that although DPWH justified that their task is mere monitoring, they still have to face the public. In addition, The Vice Governor said, the SP could not bother the contractors as they are private entities, so he said that it is the DPWH that would explain the situation.

Another concern that Redaja raised was the absence of traffic signals on the road being constructed. He said he noticed that children direct the traffic in one-way lanes. He surmised that children are there because adults (DPWH workers) are not.