MMDA asks contractors to be accountable for 15 metro projects

MANILA, Philippines - Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino on Thursday appealed to the contractors of the 15 major infrastructure projects slated to be completed in 2016 to be accountable for the safety and traffic management concerns of their respective projects.

Speaking to the participants of the MMDA Traffic Management Summit 2 at the Asian Institute of Management, Tolentino said his agency is willing to train the contractors' flagmen on traffic management.

"Karamihan sa mga contractors, pag nagsimula ang projects ay bara bara na. hinihiling ko po sa mga contractors to be accountable enough. i train namin ang flagmen nyo sa traffic management. pero wag nyo naman iiwan ang mga traffic enforcers ng makati, quezon city and manila, pag nagkaroon ng problema, ay hindi na makita ang kanilang flagmen," he said.

Tolentino also strressed on the importance of keeping the project sites safe for pedestrians and convenient to motorists by providing alternate routes.

"Kailngan pagusapan ito at magbigay ng proper communication sa public. You need to provide safe walkways and alternative routes," he said.

Meanwhile, Tolentino called on the summit participants to come up with doable solutions to alleviate the expected traffic congestion to be generated across Metro Manila by the 15 infrastructure projects. Two of the projects, the Skyway 3 project and the NAIA Expressway Phase 2 will begin construction on Monday (February 17).

"We are here because we know that the events in the next two to six years can only turn ugly first better it can get better. We are here to manage the situation we are faced with," he said.

Tolentino again called on Metro residents, commuters and motorists to be prepared to make lifetsyle and commuting changes as the construction of the 15 major infrastructure projects get underway in the coming months.

Aside from the Skyway Stage 3 and the NAIA Expressway Phase 2 project, also scheduled for construction within the next coming months are the Gil Puyat-Makati-Avenue-Paseo de Roxas underpass,Sta. Monica-Lawton Avenue bridge, CP Garcia Avenue-McKinley Hill ramp, repair and asphalt overlay of Magallanes Interchange, EDSA-Taft Avenue flyover, MRT Line 3/ LRT Line 1 extension common station, LRT Line 2 East extension up to Masinag, LRT Line 1 Extension (Cavite), EDSA- Roosevelt Ave. interchange, Espana Avenue-Lacson Avenue interchange, repair and rehabilitation and improvement of South Superhighway Makati, the NLEX-SLEX connector road and the EDSA-West Avenue-North Avenue interchange.

The MMDA also earlier proposed that campuses in Manila's university belt area which will be affected by the construction of the infrasture projects, relocate their classes to satellite campuses outside of Metro Manila.

“Offsite campuses will help decongest student population in Metro Manila which, in turn, will redound to lesser volume of commuter, pedestrian, and vehicular volume in our road networks,” Tolentino said.