Van to check roadworthiness commissioned

MALOLOS CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has commissioned a van from South Korea equipped with laser technology from Japan as well as cameras and computers to assess roadworthiness all over the country.

The output of the assessment will be used next year to benchmark against international standards in line with the safer roads program of the government.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said a total of 3,000 kilometers of national roads in Metro Manila and nearby provinces had been assessed in the last six months using the van with computers, laser technology and eight cameras installed on top, underneath and on all sides of the vehicle.

Singson said the van is likewise being utilized to capture data on all national roads in the country.

Included in the assessment are the smoothness of the road, obstructions, distance of lane markings, and measurement of road shoulders.

“This is our first step in adopting international standards for our national roads so that we can keep them safer,” Singson said in an interview at Balagtas town on Tuesday.

He added that the DPWH program on the improvement of roads made them realize one thing: that Philippine roads are unsafe for pedestrians.

“We realized that the DPWH keeps on constructing roads without consideration to the safety of pedestrians,” he said, noting that many have died because they were either hit or sideswiped by vehicles along the road.

Others were killed on the sidewalk and even inside their homes that were hit by vehicles.

There were also those who met accidents because they walked on the road instead of the road shoulder because these are made with gravel that turn muddy during rainy days.

Singson said the DPWH is looking for additional funds to acquire another van that will be used in other areas of the country.