SAN SIMON, Pampanga – The all-too-slow work on two bridges here that have long been the cause of suffering of the townsfolk served as the object of condemnation in their own version of the anti-government corruption protest held here on Sept. 20.
The San Miguel Bridge has been closed “for concreting and expansion” for the past three years, and the Tulauc Bridge, under construction since February this year.
Vital lifelines linking barangays to the town proper and the MacArthur Highway, the “slow and stalled” construction of the bridges has, residents complained, caused their daily misery of traffic congestion, longer travel times, higher costs of transportation, and lost income.
One of the rallyists, former San Simon Mayor and retired National Telecommunications Commission Region 3 director Azor Sitchon, said the implementation of the said projects lacked public consultation, planning and coordination among barangay, municipal officials and the implementing agency, the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In a petition letter, the rallyists demanded from the authorities transparency — details on the projects, including fund allocated, the contractors, and timeline for construction; accountability – top penalize the contractors for the delay in construction; and public consultation.
Punto News Team/Contributed photos
