DPWH hit over road mishaps due to construction projects

By Liezle BasaInigo

CALASIAO, Pangasinan — A series of accidents in District 3 of this province over the past weeks has put the Department of Public Works and Highways in a bad light as residents and local media criticized pending road widening projects as the cause of the deadly mishaps.

Local television and radio stations in the province have received complaints from the public that pending infrastructure works like the Mancup-Malabago road-widening project in this town lacks warning signs.

Callers to the radio stations in Dagupan City lambasted District Engineer Marieta Mendoza and even Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay for supposedly turning a blind eye on road accidents blamed on unfinished roadworks.

“Signages or warning signs and reflectorize light are important in the said area especially with the ongoing project but nothing could be found,” said Kenneth, a motorist. “Baka napagod nasi mayor kakasabi sa DPWH.”

“Ano ba naman sila (DPWH), wala ba talaga siyang puso at hindi maasikaso o mapagsabihan ang kaniyang mga tauhan para maglagay ng signages?” said Peter, a van driver who had stopped to help a victim of another accident at the road project last week – a woman who had blood oozing out of a wound in her head.

On a personal account, this reporter had documented through photographs four vehicular accidents at the Mancup-Malabago road widening project on June 12, Aug. 31 and Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, all at nighttime.