Batangas governor to hold talks with tollway officials

BATANGAS  , Philippines  – Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan once again will call for a dialogue with the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway officials to mop out plans in implementing additional safety features, following the vehicular accident that killed seven people on Sunday.

In a text message sent by Santos-Recto to The Star, she said she was saddened by the incident and will immediately call for a meeting with Star Tollway officials, Philippine National Police (PNP), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).

“They have to add safety nets such as visible speed limits. But sometimes accidents cannot be avoided because a big part of that is the responsibility of the drivers,” Santos-Recto said adding, “they drive like kings of the roads, mas mabigat na batas at parusa dapat sa mga irresponsible and reckless drivers.”

She said she will call for a meeting within a week-“Even that’s a Startoll, we have a responsibility to call their attention and plan a more concrete matrix of program for our motorists’ protection.”

Vice Gov. Marc Leviste lashed out the Star Tollway for the inaction on the SP’s recommendations.

“Despite the numerous and constant reminders to Star Tollway management to basically at least put up safety signages such as speed limits, no overtaking, proper use of seatbelts, prohibiting the use of cellphone while driving and apprehension of drunk drivers but they never implemented it,” Leviste said through a text message.

He added that installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera would somehow prevent the recurrence of accidents in the tollway.

Adolfo Dioquino Jr. general manager of Star Tollway Corp., however, insisted that Sunday’s accident was caused by human error and not from the tollways structure.

Moreover, Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas filed yesterday a resolution urging the TRB to immediately review the compliance by the concessionaire of the STAR Tollway of its obligations on the operation and maintenance of the highway.

Mandanas filed the measure in light of what he said were “the frequent vehicular accidents occurring at the said toll facility.”

He said the TRB by law exercises close supervision, monitoring, and regulation of the construction, operation, and maintenance of toll facilities, and the collection of toll fees as well as the rate that will be charged for the use of these toll facilities.

He said the concession with regard to the construction, operation and maintenance of the STAR Tollway of a four-lane 42-kilometer expressway was awarded to STAR Infrastructure Development Corp. (STAR-IDC).

He said only two lanes of the STAR Tollway II have been constructed by STAR-IDC since it opened in 2008.

“Due to the existing two-way traffic and alleged poor road condition along STAR Tollway II caused by the non-completion of the other two lanes, collision among passenger buses and other vehicles frequently occurs at the stretch of the said tollway,” Mandanas said.

He said in the Vehicular Accidents Report submitted by the Batangas Provincial Police Office, from January to October 2010, a total of 135 vehicular accidents transpired at the STAR Tollway.

Of the total of 135 reported vehicular accidents, 82 occurred along STAR Tollway II, he said. – With Rainier Allan Ronda