Partial opening of Skyway Stage 3 brings relief to motorists

MANILA, Philippines — Relief has come for motorists from Alabang headed toward Paco and Taft Avenue in Manila and vice versa.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has extended the end/exit of Skyway from Buendia to Plaza Dilao in Paco with the opening of an “up and down ramp” on Monday.

In October, a “down ramp” will be operational on Quirino Avenue going toward Taft Avenue and Roxas Boulevard. This will help unclog the daily heavy traffic on both sides of Osmeña Highway (formerly South Superhighway).

I also heard that the Skyway Stage 3 project is being rushed for completion by the first quarter of next year, and all ramps on Nagtahan Road, Araneta Avenue, Aurora Boulevard, E. Rodriguez Avenue and Quezon Avenue, etc. will be open to motorists next December.

As a result, it will take only 15 minutes to get from Gil Puyat Avenue to Balintawak-North Luzon Expressway.

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Starting today, motorists from C-5 Global City headed for Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite and vice versa will no longer have to pass though the congested Sales Bridge.

A 2.2-kilometer viaduct from C-5 toward Merville in Parañaque City is now also open to traffic. It is part of the 7.7-km toll road that will lead to the Sucat interchange and Cavitex in San Dionisio. The viaduct will greatly ease traffic to and from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

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I expect Manila Mayor Isko Moreno to get rid of “commissioners” loitering around City Hall selling “public liability insurance coverage.”

The insurance is one of the requirements for businessmen applying for the first time or renewing their business permits.

Talks are rife that “big lobby money” exists from premiums and commissions divided between insurance agents and former City Hall officials.

The sale of insurance coverage, suspended by then Mayor Lito Atienza based on complaints from small businessmen, was reinstated by Mayors Alfredo Lim and Joseph Estrada.

I hope Isko suspends this practice not only because he will not accept “big lobby money.” He can use either Republic Act (RA) No. 9485 (Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007) or RA 11032 (Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018) to stop this racket.

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Congratulations to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Police Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, for being chosen as Best Metro Manila Public Servant and Presidential Lingkod ng Bayan regional winner in the 2019 Civil Service Commission (CSC) search for outstanding government workers.

CSC Director Philip C. Apostol awarded Eleazar for his exceptional/extraordinary contributions with a nationwide impact on public interest, security and patrimony. The agency also cited his public service initiatives “We Care, We Dare” and “Pulis Na Malinis, Pulis na Magalang, Pulis na Mabilis.”

Since Eleazar became NCRPO chief in June 2018, Metro Manila’s crime index has dropped to an unprecedented 58 percent.

It is an accomplishment that, according to him, was guided by his superiors, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde and former PNP chief-turned-Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Eleazar is a 1987 cum laude graduate of the Philippine Military Academy. He has a master’s degree in public administration on top of 166 medals as a law enforcer and public servant.

He has relieved numerous police chiefs, including a district director; dismissed 177 erring policemen; suspended 1,378 others; and demoted 190 more as part of his internal cleansing efforts.

Mabuhay kayo, General Eleazar.

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