PENALTIES EYED. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Acting Chair Romando 'Don' Artes (middle) during a press conference at the MMDA headquarters in Pasig City on Monday (April 1, 2024). The MMDA will issue a notice of violation to two companies involved in several unfinished road diggings that caused heavy traffic despite the MMDA's stipulation that such projects must be completed and roads passable by 5 a.m. on Monday. (Photo courtesy of MMDA)
MANILA – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is set to issue a notice of violation against two private contractors of Globe Telecom Inc. (Globe) due to unfinished road works along the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) during the Holy Week.
In a press conference at the MMDA headquarters in Pasig City on Monday, MMDA acting chair Romando Artes said HGC Global Communications (HGC) and RLink Corp. (RLink) failed to comply with the condition that road works should have been finished, cleared, and passable to all motorists by 5 a.m. on Monday.
This, after the MMDA allowed several government and private road projects to conduct round-the-clock road diggings over the Holy Week beginning 11 p.m. on March 27.
“Out of 40 manholes, 24 were left uncovered. No traffic marshals were seen on the road to at least man the traffic. As a result, the public mistakenly thought that those were MMDA and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects because they used the traffic cones and barriers of the agency,” Artes said.
The two firms will be slapped with a PHP50,000 fine per unfinished digging per day, with possible stiffer penalties being studied based on MMDA Regulation No. 23-001, series of 2023.
“HGC and RLink have explained that they had a problem with logistics. The delivery of cement was delayed. However, their reason is unacceptable and unjustifiable,” he said.
Despite the project remaining unfinished, he said the MMDA and the DPWH will pour cement on these open diggings to ensure the affected roads will be passable as soon as possible.
In addition to these penalties, he said future projects of the two contractors are in jeopardy -- with HGC’s application for the second phase of the project already rejected.
“Pinag-aaralan po namin na i-ban itong mga kompanyang ito from doing further diggings or for any application for permits na kanilang a-applyan (We’re studying on whether to ban this company from doing further diggings or from any application for permit),” he said.
He also commended the DPWH and other project contractors who completed their projects within the timeframe given by the agency.
Of the 43 road works scheduled for completion on Monday, DPWH and private contractor AARCON Builders completed three, while HGC and Rlink completed 16 with 24 still unfinished or unpassable. (PNA)
