MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson seeks a Senate investigation into the rehabilitation and repair of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) after fresh potholes emerged on newly repaired portions of the highway following recent monsoon rains.
Lacson filed Senate Resolution 594 directing the Senate Committee on Public Works to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation with the end in view of reviewing design and engineering standards and ensuring accountability in public infrastructure.
"For nearly a week, persistent southwest monsoon (habagat) rains have drenched parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila; damaging several main thoroughfares, including recently rehabilitated sections of EDSA. The presence of fresh potholes means the newly repaired avenue will already require another round of maintenance," Lacson said in his resolution.
"Rapid deterioration of recently rehabilitated roads, most notably EDSA, just months after completion exposes deep-seated flaws in the planning, design, construction, and management of high-cost public infrastructure projects," he added.
Lacson said the national government has been appropriating funds for the Asset Preservation Program under the Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) budget to improve the quality of national roads to international standards and ensure resiliency to natural disasters.
He said that while the DPWH conducted regular preventive maintenance, repairs, and rehabilitation in certain portions of EDSA, there has been no recent full rehabilitation works conducted to restore the road to its optimal condition.
"It is imperative for Congress to review the mandate of the DPWH in setting the necessary standards and the specifications, including those that have been foreseen and are foreseeable, in the designs and construction of our public works, to exercise its oversight function over the implementation of the Asset Preservation Program funded under the annual appropriations, and determine the compliance of the contractors with the design and engineering standards," Lacson said.
