DPWH told: Check all ongoing projects

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has requested the district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Cebu City to inspect all ongoing and terminated civil works around the city to ensure public safety.

A resolution sponsored by Councilor Mary Ann de Los Santos was approved by the council during its regular session on June 26, 2024. Delos Santos noted that it has been visible in many parts of the city that several ongoing government projects, contracted or otherwise, such as roads, and drainage among others are either ongoing or left unfinished and pending.

She added that these projects have “common but unsound practice” of leaving equipment and materials on-site, accordingly without the benefit of clear and visible early warning signs. She said these are rampant and often perceived as “seemingly normal”.

“Some of this equipment and materials left on-site vary from steel or wooden forms, pavers, portable mixers, to sand, gravel, culvert, and debris which are left without the benefit of clear and visible early warning signs,” said de los Santos.

“Thus posing as serious hazards detrimental directly or indirectly to motorists, pedestrians and to some extent, residents in their surrounding areas,” she added.

De los Santos particularly said that in her recent visit to Sitio Sun-oc, Barangay Lahug to attend the wake of a resident, the late Agripino Consular, a sad narration of the surviving family has been extended to her.

According to her, the death of the said resident has been one of the many indirect results of the aforementioned unsound practice of leaving materials on-site.

“According to the family of the deceased, the latter was passing by a round concrete culvert left at the roadside for an ongoing project of the DPWH contracted under SB & T Construction when he was hit by a bicycle driven by a minor causing the former to fall and his head hit the round concrete culvert causing severe injury that led to Agripino's death,” said De Los Santos.

De los Santos further narrated a recent example wherein the current concreting on F. Sotto Drive allegedly didn’t also provide proper early warning signs for a possible detour since it is a one-way street toward Mango Avenue.

She added that the scraping of asphalt along Gorordo Avenue provides the same hazards without the “benefit of clear and visible early warning signs” especially at night.

“While we commend the various public works and similar projects of our government to improve our infrastructure, we abhor the unsound practice of leaving equipment and materials on-site sans clear,” she said.

In the same resolution, De Los Santos condemns the “callous negligence” by some contractors for not providing appropriate and effective measures to avoid accidents and other hazards.

“Such negligence and unsound practice would be tantamount to a deliberate intent of non-feasance that could unfortunately result directly or indirectly, to accidents and even death which could be avoided,” she said.

She further emphasized that private contractors can be held liable for torts and damages. She then reminded the government that under Article 2189 of the Civil Code, “even the government shall be liable for damages for public works under their control or supervision”.

De Los Santos moved that the DPWH district engineering office in Cebu City and the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) should conduct ocular inspections of their projects, whether ongoing or terminated.

She also requested them to initiate proper actions to ensure the safety of pedestrians, motorists, and residents within the project's vicinity.