Bacolod City District Engineer Reynaldo Venturina of the Department of Public Works and Highways yesterday assured that the Sum-ag road will be completed on December 16 this year.

During a meeting at the Bacolod City Government Center attended by Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Traffic Management Unit head Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche and City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo De la Paz, Venturina said the repair of the road was temporarily stopped because of the bad weather.

Last week Sayson had asked the DPWH Central Office to pressure the contractor of the P320 million project that includes the construction of three bridges, to fast-track the road rehabilitation project in Brgy. Sum-ag.

Several complaints have come from commuters plying the southern part of Bacolod against the road repair, which they said, causes traffic congestion and inconvenience because the road becomes dusty when it is sunny and muddy when it rains.

The clamors against the Sum-ag road repair have even reached the social media, prompting DPWH Region-6 Officer-in-charge Edilberto Tayao last week to order Venturina to submit a report and action taken on the issue.

On the official Facebook page of DPWH, one of the complainants called the Araneta highway in Brgy. Sum-ag, an “abortion road”.

A resident of Brgy. Sum-ag also posted on the Facebook page of DPWH that after three days of rain, the road is already disappearing from the map and that, instead of potholes, what they see on the road now is a moonscape.

He also wondered why the repair took so long to start, contrary to what was written in its notice that the project would start in June 2012 yet.

Sayson said he hopes that the DPWH will be able to meet the deadline set for the completion of the project.

OTHER CONCERNS

Aside from the completion of the Sum-ag road repair, Sayson said he discussed other matters with Venturina, whom he met personally for the first time yesterday.

Among the concerns Sayson raised was the lack of coordination by the DPWH with the city government before undertaking road repairs. But Venturina claimed they are sending communications to the Office of the City Mayor before proceeding with any developments.

Sayson suggested that DPWH should also furnish a copy of their communication to the Bacolod Traffic Authority so they could map out measures to avoid inconveniencies to motorists.

Sayson asked the DPWH to add more signages at the Araneta highway, especially from the old Airport side to Brgy. Sum-ag and in front of Transcom Call Center and the compound of the Government Services and Insurance System, where many traffic accidents occur.

He also asked DPWH to reflectorize the warning signs on the road being repaired by the agency to prevent accidents.*APN

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