IT HAS been three months since a series of vehicular accidents on Arsenio H. Lacson avenue compelled the University to request a pedestrian footbridge in the area, but but the proposal couldn’t be implemented for lack of funds, a Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) official told the Varsitarian.
“The footbridge cannot be erected at once due to the unavailability of (resources), MMDA Traffic Planning and Design acting chief Lilian Guerra said. “And there were also pending requests since last November and December, which we are prioritizing.”
In a letter dated March 18 to UST, the MMDA said the construction of a pedestrian footbridge in the area needs to be studied more.
“This authority (has) recognized (UST’s) concerns and has already scheduled pedestrian volume count and road inventory surveys along the area,” the letter stated. “If found warranted, rest assured that we would favorably be endorsing your request to the chairman for consideration.”
UST Vice-Rector Fr. Melchor Saria, O.P., who filed the request with the MMDA last Feb. 15, could not be reached for comment as of press time.
The University earlier tapped barangay officials to facilitate traffic, but Security Affairs head Clemente Dingayen said the officials “could not commit because they only have a P300 allowance per month, that cannot compensate an added barangay service.”
Further, the MMDA lacks traffic enforcers in the area, especially during the wee hours of the morning, when most vehicular accidents usually occur, Dingayen said.
Last Feb. 4, siblings Jomer and Marie Joy Racca, fourth- and second-year UST High School students, were crossing the street just outside the UST Lacson gate when a speeding bus ran over them. Meanwhile, a six-wheeler truck pinned Medicine sophomore Pamela Mondejar under its left front wheel near the corner of Lacson and Dapitan streets last Jan. 15.
