Officials, stakeholders inspect Osmeña Ave.

Stakeholders of the road repair project on Sergio Osmeña Avenue, including the top officials of Cebu City Hall, walked through the road stretch early morning yesterday.

“This is done in order to criticize or see the actual situation of the area. It’s a really good exercise, too,” Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said.

Labella and Mayor Michael Rama led the walk that started at past 4 a. m. and ended up three hours later.

They were joined in by Rafael Yap of City Traffic Operations Management, Department of Public Works and Highways engineer Adolfo Quiroga, some businessmen and representatives of SM Supermalls – Visayas and Radisson Blu Hotel.

There were 40 to 50 people who attended, said Labella.

Labella said they made a side trip to Qimonda IT Center building, the temporary courthouse in Cebu City.

“Gi- see to it ni Mayor ang security sa temporary court, sa mga judges og pedestrians nga mocross sa maong area,” said Labella.

He said the CITOM and DPWH have been directed to pay attention to their security while undertaking the five- month long project.

Labella said they have yet to sign the memorandum of understanding on the road closure among the stakeholders, who earlier raised complaints saying they were neither properly informed nor given ample time to prepare. The project was eventually postponed for week. Rama and businessman Chester Cokaliong, who will represent the stakeholders, DPWH- 7 Director Ador Canlas, the Commission on Audit and WT Construction will sign the memorandum.

The government will spend some P289 million for the rehabilitation of the S. Osmeña Ave. port corridor, which covers a total length of 2.503 kilometers.

The road work includes removal of existing asphalt pavement and its replacement with Portland cement concrete pavement.