Road repairs along España completed

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways has completed the repairs along España Boulevard in Manila in time for the opening of school classes tomorrow.

DPWH- National Capital Region director Edilberto Tayao said six lanes of España on both directions will be passable to all types of vehicles starting today to normalize the flow of traffic to and from Manila.

Tayao said the agency spent P38 million for the upgrading and concreting of the road that measures 550 linear meters from Morayta to Lacson streets near the University of Sto. Tomas.

“Our target date for its completion is by August (under the contract) but we were able to finish it ahead of schedule,” Tayao said.

“With the opening of this road, the public especially students can now be assured that there will be less traffic on the first day of school,” Tayao said.

The rehabilitation along the major thoroughfare is one of the projects under the “Oplan Balik Eskwela.”

Tayao said the road was elevated by half a meter in a bid to solve the flooding problems in the area during the rainy season.

Part of the project was the improvement of the drainage system, curb, and gutters.

Romeo Momo, DPWH undersecretary for Luzon operations, said the delay in the release of funds sometime in April resulted to the untimely implementation of the project.

“We could have started the rehabilitation much earlier and finish it on time for the opening of classes if not only for lack of funds at that time,” Momo said.

Further, the DPWH has dispatched 2,600 road maintenance workers under its Out of School Youth Towards Economic Recovery Program (OYSTER) to conduct road maintenance and clearing operations following a warning from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) of a possibility of a La Niña phenomenon.