MMDA to blame for delay of Edsa reblocking – DPWH exec

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has only itself to blame for the delay in the P230-million concrete reblocking of portions of the 23-kilometer Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, or Edsa, the country’s busiest thoroughfare, according to a top official of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The official, who asked not to be named for not having been authorized to speak to media, also assailed MMDA chair Francis Tolentino, on Monday, for allegedly “trying to earn pogi points at the expense of DPWH and private contractors doing the Edsa road repairs.”

Tolentino, the same official pointed out, had the “temerity to complain when they have only themselves to blame for the project delay.”

The source quoted DPWH-National Capital Region director Reynaldo Tagudando as having said in a recent INQUIRER Talk of the Town article: “It’s really beyond the DPWH control. Had the MMDA given our proposed (reblocking) work schedules of up to 10 road sections per weekend, we should have completed the reblocking project last December.”

“However, we’re normally allowed to work on only three to four, sometimes five locations along Edsa every weekend,” the DPWH-NCR head also said.

Some DPWH old timers described Tolentino as “unreasonable” and “papansin.”

Tolentino on Sunday said the MMDA would demand an explanation from the private contractors tapped by the DPWH for their failure to meet the road repairs deadline.

Speaking during the MMDA’s weekly radio program, he said the delay was “due to the inefficiencies of some contractors…If they are working slowly and lazily, that’s the result.”

He also said he would write a letter to the DPWH district engineers and the contractors, noting that “their competence and efficiency are at stake here.”

“There is no excuse for the delay because the date of the completion of the work is part of the agreement. We have given them time to do the work and still they haven’t completed them. I think the problem rests with them,” he added.

The areas, which would not be finished on time include the section near the gate of Dasmariñas Village and two sections in Urdaneta Village, all in Makati City, according to Tolentino.

Reached for comment, Tagudando explained the road repairs were delayed mainly because the MMDA moved the start of the reblocking schedule by 16 hours, from Tuesday to Wednesday last week.

“We complied, but we didn’t agree that we could compress the work within the given time. We just promised the MMDA that we would give it our best effort,” he said.

Earlier, the MMDA decided to delay the reblocking on at least 94 sections of Edsa for the sake of travelers leaving the metropolis for the Holy Week break.

Work on the southbound lane of Edsa started at 2 p.m. Wednesday (April 16) instead of 10 p.m. Tuesday (April 15).