BORACAY – Councilor Maylynn Aguirre-Graf of Malay, Aklan expressed safety concerns on the ongoing road rehabilitation and drainage repairs in this world-famous island.
Aguirre-Graf said she was alarmed by the absence of visible signs in road works from Barangay Manoc-Manoc to Barangay Yapak.
“We have called the attention of road constructors and water utility companies to put proper road warnings or precaution signs,” said Aguirre-Graf.
Graf stressed visible and adequate markings along road sections can save pedestrians, motorists and commuters from accidents.
“Para masiguro na walang malaglag na tao, kailangan safety ang una,” she reiterated.
Engineer David Capispisan, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) assistant project manager, meanwhile said they prioritized safety barricades for ongoing projects especially on open excavation during maintenance work and constructions.
“Lahat na mga open pit sa mga proyekto may mga railings at harang para maprotektahan ang mga dumadaan,” Capispisan clarified.
The Department of Public Works and Highways and TIEZA have ongoing road improvements and drainage system rehabilitation in the island.
The national government is also spending billions to rehabilitate Boracay’s waste water management and circumferential road construction as part of the medium-term recovery program after the island’s six-month closure. (With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
Aguirre-Graf is totally right about road construction safety signage. This is a area the Philippines needs to really improve on and not just in Boracay. The Philippines needs to look at what other countries do. For example look at what Japan does. Need to setup national policies and standards for road construction. Safety first saves lives. Lights, warning signs, safety workers to direct traffic safely etc. Not having well organized safety policies and standards keeps the Philippines from being a more developed country. There needs to be a mindset change sadly for this to happen and David Capispisan excuse is an example of people just not getting it. And he is an engineer! Sad.