BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Baguio-Benguet Chapter (PCCI-BBC) slammed the Department of Public works and Highways – Baguio City District Engineering Office (DPWH-BCDEO) for allowing the simultaneous implementation of at least 16 road constructions projects in the different parts of the city, citing that the monstrous traffic jams created by the multiple project implementation will be detrimental to the robust economic growth of the city during the summer months.
In strongly-worded petition signed by hundreds of local businessmen who are members of the organization, the PCCI-BBC cited there is an urgent need to speed up the on-going multiple road infrastructure projects around the city so that the same will be completed before the expected influx of visitors during the summer months.
“The total acceleration of road repairs must be undertaken 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to fastrack the completion of the said infrastructure projects. WE believe that speeding up by means of working round the clock will surely bring a good result and will shorten the distress it is causing the motoring and commuting public,” the 3-page petition stressed.
The PCCI-BBC asserted the completion of the project on time will greatly help in solving the issues on traffic jams, plights of the commuters and the disruption of business activities that would be detrimental in the growth of the city’s economy once the project implementation will be delayed by untoward incidents.
“We should work together to build a prosperous economy attractive and open to future investments that would continuously improve the economy of the city in the future,” the PCCI-BBC added.
According to the group, the on-going simultaneous repairs on roads around the city over the past several weeks have caused traffic jams, particularly in the central business district area which is the busiest part of the city, and has resulted to massive inconvenience to the motoring and commuting public and even among businesses.
Since the simultaneous road repairs were undertaken, the PCCI cited such construction activities resulted to the closure of main roads and that limited alternate routes have to be shared by the huge volume of private and public vehicles that have translated to massive traffic jams all over the city.
Because of the inconvenience and discomfort caused by the traffic jams around the city, the PCCI-BBC disclosed numerous visitors who were supposed to visit the city during the Holy Week break and the summer season have reportedly cancelled their reservations that have caused local tourism industry stakeholders millions of losses in terms of supposed income.
The PCCI-BBC is optimistic that concerned government agencies will heed their appeal for the accelerated implementation of the on-going road rehabilitation and upgrading projects in order to lessen the inconveniences caused by the simultaneous implementation of the programmed works that would result to better state of infrastructure in the city.
The group cited the importance of improving the different infrastructure projects in the city but it must be done through proper coordination with the barangays and the city government in order to iron out the implementation of the road repair projects beneficial to the welfare of the people for convenience in moving around the city. By Dexter A. See