Garcia seeks public understanding on road repairs

Local

CEBU City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is urging residents to remain patient as the city government continues its road asphalting program, which is being implemented gradually due to limited funding and jurisdictional concerns.

Speaking to reporters during a recent press conference, Garcia said the city is doing its best to respond to road repair needs across various barangays, but logistical and legal constraints are affecting the rollout.

Some roads, he explained, cannot be immediately resurfaced because they are either privately owned or fall under the responsibility of the national government.

“Naka-touch base nata sa tanang barangay when it comes sa road asphalting pero dili pa kompleto. If the quest is 10 streets, maybe 5 pa unya mubalhin nasad ta ug laing barangay aron makatilaw ang uban sa aspalto nga dalan. It is not based on barangay but the quality of the roads. If severe nga guba kaayo, then man gyud na atong unahon,” Garcia said.

The mayor noted that some concerned citizens had reached out regarding unpaved streets, only to later find out these were not under the city’s jurisdiction.

“We have to ask consent from the owner to be able to asphalt the street,” he added.

Garcia’s statement came days after the Cebu City Council approved Supplemental Budget No. 1 (SB1) amounting to P587.7 million on March 26, following revisions that trimmed the original P635 million proposal.

Among the adjustments was a reduction in the city’s road asphalting allocation — from P140 million down to P100 million.

Reports indicate that road asphalting efforts in Cebu City are progressing well, with Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the infrastructure committee, announcing that the project has achieved 70 percent completion.

Guardo expressed optimism that the completion rate could reach 90 percent within the next month, leading up to the elections.

The ongoing asphalting work is currently focused on mountain barangays, though Guardo did not specify which areas are being prioritized.

He explained that severely damaged roads identified by the engineering department are given priority, regardless of location.

Guardo clarified that road asphalting is considered regular maintenance and is not covered by the election ban on public fund disbursement.

He emphasized that the project will continue to ensure commuter safety and improve infrastructure across the city. Full completion of the asphalting initiative is expected after the elections.(TGP)