CCTV image of MacArthur highway in Davao City at 1:59 pm, Monday, October 9. (Photo from the Davao City Public Safety Security Command Center)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The traffic caused by the ongoing road clearing operations along the Maa-Carlos P. Garcia Highway commonly known as the Diversion Road will probably affect commuters and motorist until this week.
But City Transport and Management Office (CTTMO) chief Dionisio Abude assured that the situation will improve by Wednesday, October 11.
“That is still tentative. But we are eyeing that by Wednesday the Diversion Road will be safe for the public’s use,” Abude told Davao Today in an interview.
Heavy rain on October 5 spawned a landslide near the city’s old dump site in Maa-Carlos P. Garcia highway the following day. There were passengers forced to walk as vehicles were not readily available due to the traffic situation in the area.
City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has given a time frame of 48 hours for the personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways to finish the road clearing operations. But the area has not been declared safe yet.
Buses to ferry passengers
Abude said to aid passengers who would be stranded, buses will be available at the City Hall grounds starting 3 pm today.
He said there will be 10 buses heading to north and south parts of the city.
“We prepared five buses for the north side and five buses for the south side but we will see later whether we have to adjust the number of buses going to the south side of the city,” Abude said.
The traffic chief cited that the traffic congestion is felt mostly by commuters coming from the south.
Abude said passengers will have to pay for the standard fares when they ride the bus. (davaotoday.com)
