The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
All road diggings and excavations in major thoroughfares must be undertaken by contractors at night to help ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
This was the consensus reached during a recent meeting between the Department of Public Works (DPWH) and Highways, Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
DPWH, DOTr and MMDA, and executives noted that road repairs and rehabilitations on major thoroughfares must be done by contractors around 10 p.m., making sure that the road will be passable to motorists by 5 a.m. the next day.
To do this, the government agencies will also ask contractors to use quick dry cement on the road works to be able to meet the one-day curing period.
Meanwhile, MMDA announced that they will no longer issue excavation permits to contractors Instead, it will be issued directly to the DPWH regional office or district office concern.
MMDA said that many of the contractors applying to secure a permit have been appealing to the agency to stall the issuance of the document because they could not meet the scheduled deadline to complete their respective road projects.
Also, under the new guidelines, the DPWH will be responsible in preparing the traffic management plan of the road projects. The plan will be reviewed by the MMDA.
“With the new guidelines in the issuance of permits of excavation, we hope to address the additional traffic caused by on-going and unfinished road diggings,” MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos said.
Orbos also acknowledged Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade for initiating the holding of the meeting among the concerned government agencies to thresh out various issues and concerns. DARYL ROSE VIRTUDAZO