The Iloilo City Government has requested Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan to expedite the engineering works at Calle Real or JM Basa Street.
In a letter dated Dec. 17, 2024, Bonoan Mayor Jerry Treñas said Calle Real is one the busiest streets in old downtown Iloilo.
He added that the project implemented by the City District Engineering Office was targeted for completion by Dec. 13, but District Engineer Roy Pacanan requested an extension to finish it by Dec. 16.
“With the current status of the project, he appealed to complete the engineering works on Dec. 20, 2024. It appears that the district engineer has no sense of urgency and is insensitive to the plight of more than 500,000 residents of Iloilo City who have been tremendously affected by the delayed completion,” the mayor said in his letter.
Treñas added that he also received complaints from residents of nearby municipalities that they experience inconvenience, heavy traffic, and disruption in their business and commercial transactions due to the unfinished engineering works.
The PHP49.4 million project consists of a drainage system, with the rehabilitation of the Plazoleta Gay, provision of curb and cutter, and application of thermoplastic pavement markings as components.
Supervising project engineer Dave Belarga, in a media conference last month, said they are fast-tracking the project to complete the left side and temporarily stop in the second week of December to give way to the celebration of Christmas and Dinagyang Festival and Chinese New Year in January.
The initial target was to open the affected road portions to traffic by the second week of December.Perla Lena/PNA
