- Baste says city not ready for coastal road-Roxas segment
ACTING Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte slammed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his “careless pronouncement” to open the Segment B (Roxas) of the Davao City Coastal Road on Dec. 16 without sufficient preparation.
President Marcos earlier announced that the Roxas segment would open on Dec. 15. However, the regional Department of Public Works and Highways postponed the opening from 5 p.m. on Monday to 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
In a statement released on his Facebook page on Monday, Dec. 15, Duterte noted that the DPWH will open only two of the four lanes of the access road from Roxas to the coastal road “in compliance with the careless pronouncement of the President regarding its opening.”
He said Segment B remains under the jurisdiction of DPWH and has yet to be officially turned over to the local government.
As DPWH earlier announced, all four lanes are scheduled for completion by March 2026.
Duterte reported that an inspection conducted by the Davao City Road Project Advisory and Monitoring Board (DCRPAMB) on Dec. 14 revealed that only two lanes were nearing completion.
“In addition, there are no streetlights or safety and traffic signages installed at the Roxas exit,” he said, adding that the DPWH did not give an adequate answer to the DCRPAMB when questioned about the premature opening.
He said that integrity and safety of public roads must not be compromised only to beat the President’s deadline that has been “carelessly set.”
Duterte warned the public to anticipate possible traffic congestion in the area. “Should anything happen to Dabawenyos in that area because of inadequate streetlights and safety measures, that is on you and your stupidity.”
“I ask DPWH: Do you still know how to do your job? Under whose authority was the decision made to open this unfinished coastal segment?” he stressed.
Duterte also slammed the personalities present during President Marcos’ inspection of the Bucana Bridge on Dec. 4. He mentioned Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Antonio Lagdameo, Mindanao Development Authority Leo Magno, and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon.
“These are individuals who appear more concerned with making themselves look good than with ensuring the safety of Dabawenyos,” he said.
