MMDA, DPWH to halt some infra works from Nov 11 to Jan 10

MANILA, Philippines — Some road re-blocking projects will take a break this holiday season as authorities anticipate busier roads in Metro Manila at this time.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) agreed to suspend road re-blocking projects on Edsa and C-5 for a month – from November 11 up to January 10, 2020.

“‘Yung mga butas-butas na nagco-cause ng traffic d’yan lalo, ire-repair natin ‘yan (Those holes that cause traffic, those will be repaired),” MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia noted, explaining that those to be postponed will be road re-blocking projects that merely aims to beautify certain roads. “I’m talking about ‘yung re-blocking na pinapaganda lang, kino-cosmetics natin (I’m talking about those re-blocking that only beautifies or cosmeticize.”

The MMDA general manager also said they have asked utility companies to temporarily suspend long-term, on-going projects and fast track those already for completion.

“Kung may mga infrastructures silang gagawin na long-term, na ‘di naman makakaapekto talaga, takpan muna, ituloy na lang by next year,” he said.

(If they are doing long-term infrastructures, and it won’t get affected by the suspension of work, cover them for now and just continue by next year.)

“Pero ‘yung mga [projects] na malapit nang matapos itong period na ito, bilisan nila para matapos,” he added.

(But if they have projects up for completion in this period, they can just expedite work so it can be finished.)

Garcia, however, said repair and re-blocking works suspension will exclude government flagship projects and emergency cases as well as projects for utilities like water, electricity, and communication lines that need to be addressed quickly. /kga

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