DPWH Wants Panganiban Barricades Removed

CANAMAN, CAM. SUR - AFTER THE CITY GOVERNMENT of Naga had ignored an appeal by more than 30 business establishments, including a school and a hospital to reconsider the removal of barricades in the implementation of a "one-way" experimental traffic along Panganiban Drive since May last year, Public Works regional director Danilo C. Manalang had intervened by directing the local DPWH district to notify the City government of the removal of the said obstructions along Panganiban Drive, a national highway.

Sources at the DPWH Cam. Sur 2^nd Engineering District bared that the City government under Mayor Jesse Robredo had been notified twice since December last year about the removal of the barricades at the center of the Panganiban Drive junction leading to the SM Naga City complex.

Reportedly, the City government legal counsel has responded in a letter that traffic concerns along the national highway are under the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and not with the DPWH.

A ranking official of the DPWH district office here said that since the City government response was sent by their legal counsel, the letter response was also referred to the legal department of the DPWH Central Office in Port Area, Manila.

Director Manalang said he had ordered to remove the barricades based on DPWH Department Order no. 52, series of 2004, issued by then former DPWH Sec. Bayani Fernando, which required the removal of all illegal structures along the "road right of way" of all national highways in the country.

The same DPWH Department Order no. 52 was used as basis to effect the removal of installed giant bill boards along national highways in Metro Manila in 2006 and 2007, after said bill boards had caused accidents to pedestrians and commuters during typhoons.

Ranking sources at the DPWH district office here said they are awaiting the response of the DPWH Central Office regarding the City government's letter.

Should the barricades be considered a violation of the DPWH order, they said they will remove the barricades even without city government approval.

Meanwhile, the Sangguniang  Panlungsod headed by Vice-Mayor Bordado had also prodded the City government's Public Safety Office (PSO) under Lito Del Rosario to remove the barricades because the traffic experimentation period along Panganiban Drive was long due since it started in May last year.

But Del Rosario had justified that traffic along Panganiban Drive would be in disarray going to the SM Naga City complex, and had requested for an extension of the rerouted traffic scheme.

A petition paper signed by more than 30 establishment owners along Panganiban Drive sent to Bordado, the City Council, and Robredo dated June 30, 2009 urged the City government to reconsider the permanent installation of the barriers and the experimented "one way traffic," which they claimed had affected business accessibility and opportunity.

Reportedly, the experimental traffic scheme and installed barriers were basically to favor the SM Naga City complex for all motorists to pass along the said mall during its opening in May last year.

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