Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Taking advantage of the relatively low volume of vehicles in Metro Manila during the Holy Week, the Department of Public Works and Highways is set to undertake road repairs in various parts of the metropolis, mostly involving sections of the 23-kilometer Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the country’s busiest thoroughfare.
Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the road repairs, to begin around midnight Wednesday or during the first hour of Thursday, were “necessary to improve the riding surface, prolong the life of the roads, as well as reduce travel time and vehicle operating costs.”
Personnel of the DPWH-National Capital Region “will closely monitor all the road repair activities,” said Singson.
In a statement, the DPWH head disclosed that the road repairs “will follow the standard practice of lane-by-lane works.”
“With the concrete poured and cured, the repaired road sections will be opened to vehicular traffic before 5 a.m. next Monday (April 1),” said Singson.
In Caloocan City, repair work on Edsa will cover the northbound lane from Asuncion Street to MCU Hospital and the southbound lane from Benin Street to Urbano Plata Street.
The agency’s Third Metro Manila District Engineering Office will supervise the road repair activities, to be done by the private firms LR Tiqui Builders and Jagon Builders Construction Corp.
In Quezon City, the local government unit’s First Engineering Office has been tasked to “oversee repair works by Rend Enterprises and General Construction on on Edsa northbound from Congressional Avenue to Access Road, and Dimaguila Construction and Supply on Edsa southbound from Cloverleaf to Oliveros Street.”
In Mandaluyong City, the First Metro Manila District Engineering Office “will ensure quality completion of repairs works at Edsa from the northbound lane to the underpass, to be handled by IM Construction Corp., and the southbound lane, to be undertaken by B. Bernardo Construction.”
In Makati City, the Second Metro Manila District Engineering Office “will team up with AUKH Construction in the repair of Edsa-Makati’s norhtbound lane from 7-Eleven near the Estrella foot bridge to Guadalupe Bridge.” The southbound segment from Guadalupe to San Carlos Seminary will be handled by Vivid Construction.
In Pasay City, the South Manila Engineering District Office “will supervise repair works from the pedestrian overpass on Dela Cruz Extension fronting the Victory Liner bus terminal.” AKH Construction is handling the Edsa-Pasay City repairs.
Also to be repaired are a number of streets in Manila, namely, Nicanor Reyes, San Marcelino, Remedios, and President Quirino Avenue. Other streets to be repaired in Quezon City are Mindanao Avenue, North Avenue, Road 8, Fairview Avenue, and Milano Drive.
Last month, President Aquino stopped the rehabilitation of Edsa, planned to start after the May midterm elections. Palace spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the President wanted a further study of the Edsa rehab plan, including additional measures to ease the inconvenience to motorists.