Road widening project: P17T for every family affected

CEBU, Philippines - Families affected by the widening of M. Velez and Don Gil Garcia Streets besides the Cebu Provincial Capitol building will receive cash assistance equivalent to a two-month minimum pay.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer Nicomedes Leonor said the assistance will be given to those whose houses are affected during the road widening project.

At P285 daily minimum wage, each family is expected to receive P17,100 cash assistance from the DPWH. The amount, however, is still not yet final, said Leonor.

According to Leonor, the DPWH had already allocated budget for the project.

He said the expansion of the narrow road near the provincial Capitol building is necessary because the area would always get congested during peak hours.

M. Velez Street from V. Rama Avenue, including the bridge near the Andres Abellana Street, has already been widened. But a small portion near the Capitol building was not included in the widening.

Leonor said there is nothing to worry about the road-right-of-way because based on the documents most of the lots being occupied by the affected families are categorized as “dried river land,” meaning they are owned by the state.

“Tan-aw nako gamay ra ang yuta nga maapektahan sa road widening project nga angay’ng bayran kay ang uban basi sa dukomento dried river land,” the DPWH district engineer said.

The DPWH-Manila had allocated P28 million for the project and Leonor is now sending notices to the affected families to vacate the area. Most of the affected houses are situated beside the Guadalupe River.

M. Velez Street stretches from the Cebu Provincial Capitol building to V. Rama Avenue. The area is very congested during peak hours because it is the only road going to Guadalupe from the uptown area.

Leonor said if the small portion of M. Velez Street and Don Gil Garcia Street would be widened, it will help improve the traffic situation in uptown area, particularly along Osmeña Boulevard and Escario Street.

In a related development, DPWH-hired contractors already started widening the portion of Escario Street corner Gorordo Avenue after the owner of the lot agreed to allow the government to use part of their properties for road-right-of way.

A portion of Escario Street is presently used only as one-way for vehicles from Gorordo Avenue. But Leonor said once the road widening is completed, that portion will be utilized as a two-way road.

Public utility companies such as the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) and Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLTD) have been asked to remove their posts situated in the middle of the street to give way for the concreting of the road. — (FREEMAN)