Open Parañaque road or ‘all hell will break loose’

Parañaque City Rep. Rep. Eduardo Zialcita urged the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) yesterday to open the Kabihasnan Road in the city leading towards Coastal Road or "all hell will break loose" when another major thoroughfare closes for repair.

Motorists, mostly from Parañaque, Zapote and Las Piñas, have been complaining of heavy traffic because Kabihasnan Road, closed more than a year ago, has remained closed to traffic.

According to Parañaque City Engineer Raydivino Daval-Santos, Kabihasnan Road was supposed to be an alternative route for motorists using Quirino Highway and Sucat Road/Ninoy Aquino Avenue.

But Zialcita said that the TRB, which has jurisdiction over Coastal Road, closed the Kabihasnan exit when Maynilad Water Company did some excavations for a pipe-laying project more than a year ago. Maynilad, however, said it completed the project last April and restored the pavement.

Zialcita explained that when the Philippine Estates Authority (PEA) built the Coastal Road, it failed to build a service road going towards Parañaque. This is why Kabihasnan was built during the term of former City Mayor Pablo Olivarez.

"I have been talking with TRB director Jaime Dumlao for the past two weeks and the opening of Kabihasnan to motorists has been approved in principle. I still have to follow this up with him in the next few days," Zialcita said.

Zialcita said the Quirino Highway would be closed for at least six months to undergo repairs as well as to give way to the construction of a new Don Galok-La Huerta Bridge.

"The (traffic) problem is escalating now. The TRB really has to open Kabihasnan. You could just imagine, there would be pandemonium if we close Quirino and Kabihasnan remains closed as well," Zialcita said.

He added that there are preparatory works for the rehabilitation of the highway but motorists complain that Kabihasnan Road has been turned into a jeepney terminal. – Nikko Dizon