QUEZON CITY, (PIA) -- Due to unfinished road works along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) during the Holy Week, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will issue notice of violations against two private contractors of a telecommunication company.
MMDA Chairperson Atty. Don Artes said Globe Telecom’s private contractors HGC Global Communications and RLink Corporation, which are working on the underground installation of fiber optic cable along the southbound portion of EDSA, failed to comply with the agency’s condition that road works should have been finished, cleared, and passable to all motorists by 5 a.m. of April 1.
“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 explained.
He said that HGC Global Communications and RLink Corporation had a problem with logistics.
“The delivery of cement was delayed. However, their reason is unacceptable and unjustifiable. We will issue a notice of violation against them due to the traffic build-up earlier today brought about by their failure to finish on time.”
The MMDA allowed government and private construction projects to conduct round-the-clock road diggings and repairs from 11 p.m. of Wednesday, March 27, until Monday morning, April 1.
According to MMDA, the two firms will be slapped with a P50,000 fine per diggings, per day. The imposition of stiffer penalties is based on MMDA Regulation No. 23-001, series of 2023.
Artes added that the MMDA and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have decided to pour cement on open diggings so that the roads will be passable.
Moreover, the MMDA is studying the possibility of banning the two private contractors of Globe Telecom from applying for excavation permits.
Meanwhile, the MMDA chief commended the DPWH for finishing the road works on time during Holy Week. (MMDA/PIA-NCR)
