UTILITY COMPANIES and construction agencies continue to carry out separate road diggings for their projects despite a directive last year from Davao City’s executive department to synchronize their work to minimize the impact on traffic flow. As such Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado, chair of the committee on public works and vice-chair of the committee on transportation, said the city council is looking at passing an ordinance to force both private and government agencies to coordinate. “Maybe we can pass a guideline or ordinance to compel all these offices, agencies to coordinate and synchronize their projects to minimize traffic congestion and related problems,” Mr. Zozobrado said. “Most of the time, one agency or company does the digging and after the work is done and the road is rehabilitated, here comes another agency or company digging again,” he added. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio ordered the creation of a special task force in Sept. 2016 to address the matter. However, the City Engineer’s Office, which was ordered to lead the group, has no update on the status of the task force. Mr. Zozobrado said coordination on road diggings is particularly crucial now with several major infrastructure projects lined up by the local and national governments. — Carmencita A. Carillo

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