Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez said yesterday that Mayor Evelio Leonardia has no jurisdiction to demand for the realignment or stoppage of his projects being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways, a press release from his office said.

Leonardia had requested the DPWH to realign its funds to complete the widening of the Circumferential Road in Bacolod City, rather than use them on asphalt overlays for existing national roads.

In his letter to acting DPWH-Bacolod District Engineer Reynaldo Venturina dated Aug. 2, 2012, Leonardia said they have noticed that most of the identified projects of the DPWH are for asphalt overlays on existing national roads.

However, Golez said in his press release that the DPWH is just implementing national projects funded by the Priority Development Assistance Fund of legislators and other line agencies, decisions are made on the national level.

“However, we feel that some of these roads, like Lacson Street, do not need urgent repair/improvement,” Leonardia said in his letter to Venturina.

Leonardia said they are strongly suggesting that DPWH realign these funds to complete the widening of the circumferential road as it is now experiencing heavy traffic every day..

Golez said DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson recently clarified in his July 25, 2012 Memorandum to all Regional Directors and District Engineers that "Realignment for road upgrading from arterial to secondary will not be allowed since it will impact the Department's abilities to achiever the targets for the arterial roads by 2014," his press release added.*

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