THE committee on public works conducted an ocular inspection on January 23 in connection with the right-of-way issue affecting Contract ID No. 25K00255, or the Construction of Cagayan de Oro River Basins (Package 1), located in Barangay Indahag.
The inspection followed a committee meeting on January 15, where the body discussed the continued suspension of the project due to the refusal of lot claimant Mr. Bernie Bacarro to sign the Permit to Enter (PTE).
Bacarro has demanded either a minimum 10-meter offset toward the riverside within his claimed property or full compensation for the affected portion of his land.
In a letter, DPWH–Region X Assistant Regional Director Engr. Sabeniano D. Caliao Jr. clarified that both demands could not be accommodated due to technical and contractual constraints governing the project.
During the ocular inspection, Bacarro and his family reiterated their position, saying they could not easily allow access to the property as it would displace them.
Committee chair Councilor Al Legaspi Sr., together with DPWH representatives, warned that continued refusal would leave the flood control structure unfinished, increasing the risk of localized flooding in the area.
However, the Bacarro family raised concerns over a planned boulevard project that may be implemented in the future, fearing that it could further affect their property.
Councilor Legaspi clarified that the current request for a permit to enter applies solely to the flood dike project and that the boulevard remains at the planning stage.
Any future project would require a separate process and consent and would not be automatically covered by the present permission, he stressed.
However, the family insisted on receiving firm assurances from the DPWH that the proposed boulevard would not affect their property, requesting that physical markers be installed to clearly define project boundaries.
DPWH representatives responded that redesigning or finalizing plans would take time, thus no guarantees could be given at this stage, but assured the family of consultations should the project move forward.
An agreement was made to hold another meeting to formally document positions and determine the next course of action. (SPE/SP/photos by SPEscoltos and Councilor Legaspi FB page)
- The Gavel
- Jan 27
GIDUSO ni Konsehal Eric Salcedo ngadto sa Technical Working Group (TWG) ang hangyo sa Golden Friendship Eco-friendly Transport Cooperative (GOFETCO) nga dugang unit sa sakyanan ug Rota aron magmalahutayon ang ilang operasyon.
Nasayran nga ang maong transport coop nakasinate sa kalisod tungod sa daghang kompetisyon sama sa bao-bao, habal-habal ug traditional jeep nga moagi sa ilang rota, matod ni Robert Travilla, vice chairperson sa maong asosasyon, atol sa tigom sa komite niadtong milabayng semana.
Sumala ni Salcedo nga kinahanglan tun-an pag-ayo ang maong hangyo aron masuta kon dili ba kini makadugang sa problema sa dagan sa trapiko sa dakbayan tungod kay nakadaghan na ang mga sakyanan.
Niini giduso ni Konsehal Salcedo ang hangyo sa maong asosasyon ngadto TWG nga gilangkoban sa Roads and Traffic Administration ug uban pang opisina sa goberno alang sa dugang pagtuon ug rekomendasyon. (MLR/SP)
The Philippine National Police (PNP), in coordination with the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO), will be at the helm for a strict crackdown on motorcycles and vehicles with excessively loud mufflers.
The move was agreed upon during a meeting of the City Council’s committee on public utilities, chaired by Councilor Eric Salcedo, following reports of increasing cases of unauthorized vehicle modifications and nuisance driving in the city.
Salcedo said the city’s traffic code is set to be updated, including a proposal to raise the penalty for illegal mufflers from ₱1,000 to ₱5,000, with the addition of vehicle impoundment as a deterrent.
The enforcement drive is anchored on Republic Act No. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, which prohibits the use of motor vehicles with defective or modified accessories that produce excessive or unusual noise, considered a form of alarm and scandal or public disturbance.
Authorities also cited Land Transportation Office Memorandum Circular No. 2020-2240, which penalizes the use of unauthorized or modified exhaust systems and other vehicle accessories that exceed allowable noise limits.
LTO officials emphasized the need for proper enforcement equipment, including breath analyzers to address drunk driving and decibel meters to measure noise levels, stressing that penalties cannot be imposed without the needed apparatus.
The LTO further called on barangay officials to coordinate closely with the composite team, noting that violations often occur sporadically and in specific locations best identified at the barangay level.
Salcedo said that sustained and consistent operations, supported by mobile police patrols rather than limited checkpoints, will help deter violations, reduce noise pollution and public disturbance, and protect lives to instantaneous death and damage to property. (FDC/SP)
