USC gives DPWH go signal for road-widening

The USC administration has allowed the Department of Public Works and Highways to expand the road (Gov. Cuenco Avenue) fronting the USC-TC campus by 2 to 4 meters into the property owned by the SVD.

Father Lucio Dayag, the Property Custodian of USC-TC, has disclosed that USC is giving up close to 3000 meters of its property along the road-line for the road-widening project along Gov Cuenco Avenue, to help solve the growing problem of heavy traffic along the Banilad-Talamban roads.

USC-TC property administrator architect, Marvin Gaerlan, said that among the improvements affected by the road-widening development are the fences and sidewalk that line the front of the campus, the USC-TC drug-store beside Gate 1, the USC-TC Portal, and the entrance of the students and some of the covered walk.

Gaerlan also said that nearly ten mahogany and gemelina trees will be affected by the road-widening development, but only if it is really needed. Otherwise, the DPWH contractor overseeing the demolition and development, will avoid cutting down any trees as much as possible.

The agreement between the USC administration and the DPWH to take initiative among property owners of the Banilad-Talamban roads was done to help eradicate the traffic jams along these roads during rush hours. The road right of way permit was signed by the USC-TC administration last July 10, 2014.

P.B. Obial Construction intends to finish the demolition and restoration of roads and sidewalks within two months.

Meanwhile, USC’s request to use a portion of Gov. Cuenco Avenue to pave a sidewalk for its students was denied by CITOM.

The request was made by Gaerlan, asking permission from CITOM to utilize a part of the Banilad-Talamban road in front of the Talamban campus as a passageway for students. The 1-meter portion along the road-line that Gaerlan requested will be taken from the same road that the USC administration had agreed to give up part of for the road-widening development.

Gaerlan called CITOM Operations Chief Joy Tumulak last July 30, 2014 with the request, as he had observed that students are still utilizing the cordoned side-walk of the school campus, which thus poses as a risk to the students. To which, Tumulak denied his request, saying that if she had given USC permission, the road in front of the Talamban campus would significantly be reduced because of the 1-meter portion that would have been utilized by USC.

Cerwin Eviota, USC-TC’s spokesperson also said that a working scholar in Gaerlan’s office was allegedly hit by a side mirror of a motorcycle, prompting the property administrator to request permission.

Eviota said that even though CITOM had denied their request, USC does not regret its decision to allow development of Gov. Cuenco Avenue and claim part of its property.

The Office of Student’s Affairs and the Security Department of USC-TC have thus taken initiative to oversee the security of students along these roads. USC was also asked by CITOM officials to conduct an internal information drive for the awareness of the students and staff of the on-going demolition and development.

P.B. Obial Construction, the contractor overseeing the development, has promised to speed up the demolition of the road.