Tolentino calls on private sector to help clear Maharlika Highway, clogged with vehicles due Kristine's flooding, to make way for trucks with relief goods

PHILIPPINES, October 26 - Press Release
October 26, 2024

Tolentino calls on private sector to help clear Maharlika Highway, clogged with vehicles due Kristine's flooding, to make way for trucks with relief goods

MANILA, Philippines - Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino called on the private sector on Saturday to help government's efforts to clear the way for trucks loaded with relief goods along Maharlika Highway in San Fernando town, Camarines Sur, which has been clogged by stranded vehicles stalled by deep flooding.

Tolentino said that the private sector's help is very welcome and appreciated to clear the way to hasten the delivery of relief goods for communities affected by severe flooding in the localities of Bicol's catch basin area.

He particularly appealed to firms like construction companies with heavy equipment to volunteer their resources to clear the clogged portion of the Maharlika Highway, Asian Highway 26 (AH26), located in Camarines Sur, which traverses between the Bicol region and Metro Manila.

As of Saturday morning, reports reaching the senator confirmed that the trucks carrying relief goods of institutions like the Philippine Red Cross, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and other civil society groups and networks are still stranded in Milaor town, 15 kilometers north of Naga City.

"I am appealing to the private sector, especially construction firms with heavy equipment, to help unclog the main artery going to and coming from Metro Manila. Even one lane, to make way for the vehicles carrying relief goods to reach the survivors of the extensive and massive flooding in Camarines Sur," Tolentino said in a statement.

Since Oct. 21, hundreds of vehicles that traveled south from Metro Manila to Bicol provinces, Visayas, and Mindanao, as well as other local vehicles have been stranded, and have blocked the highway.

Tolentino received a report from Mayor Cris Lizardo, who called him up to give an update on the massive flooding in the Bicol River Basin town of Minalabac in Camarines Sur province, and the traffic situation on Maharlika Highway.

"Maraming tulong, mayor, parating; marami nagpadala ng tulong at may mga nandiyan na, kaya lang hindi makadaan...yong (problema sa) accessibility, ang problema kung papano ide-deliver kasi barado nga iyong daan," he assured the mayor of Minalabac.

(There is lots of help coming, mayor; many have sent aid, and many of them are there already, but the problem is they cannot pass through...there's a problem in accessibility, the problem is how to deliver because the way is clogged.)

The mayor told Tolentino that both ends between Milaor town and Naga City, about four kilometers long and still submerged in floodwaters as of Saturday morning, are blocked by vehicles going north and south of Bicol.

Lizardo described the extent of traffic on the diversion road in Naga City going north to Milaor town, where a marine soldier participating in the rescue operation could hardly squeeze himself between vehicles with his backpack.

The mayor said the vehicles were piling up on both ends of the highway in anticipation of the receding floodwaters that cut the main artery between the Bicol region and the regions in the south and north going to the Philippine capital.

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Tolentino, umapela sa tulong ng pribadong sektor sa clearing operations sa Maharlika Highway para makadaan ang mga truck na magdadala ng relief goods sa mga sinalanta ni Kristine

MANILA, Philippines - Nanawagan si Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino sa pribadong sektor na tumulong sa clearing operations sa Maharlika Highway sa bahagi ng bayan ng San Fernando, Camarines Sur, para makadaan ang mga truck na magdadala ng relief goods sa mga lugar na sinalanta ng bagyong Kristine.

Malaki aniya ang maitutulong ng mga construction company na may heavy equipment para maayos ang daloy ng trapiko sa Maharlika Highway, Asian Highway 26 (AH26), na syang nagkokonekta sa Metro Manila at Bicol region.

Kinumpirma sa mga ulat na nakarating sa senador ngayong Sabado ng umaga na ang mga truck ng Philippine Red Cross, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), at iba pang mga grupo ay hindi makausad sa lokasyon nito sa bayan ng Milaor, na may 15 kilometro ang layo sa Naga.

"Umaapela ako sa mga pribadong kumpanya para tumulong ayusin ang mga bara sa main artery patungo at pabalik mula Metro Manila. Kahit isang lane lamang, para makarating ang mga sasakyan na magdadala ng relief goods sa mga biktima ng pagbaha sa Camarines Sur," ayon kay Tolentino.

Mula pa noong Oktubre 21 ay marami nang mga sasakyan mula Metro Manila na patungong Bicol, Visayas, at Mindanao, ang nananatiling stranded sa naturang highway.

Kabilang sa mga nag-ulat sa senador mula ay si Minalabac Mayor Cris Lizardo, na nagbahagi ng sitwasyong sa kanyang bayan na bahagi ng Bicol River Basin.

"Maraming tulong, mayor, parating; marami nagpadala ng tulong at may mga nandiyan na, kaya lang hindi makadaan...yong (problema sa) accessibility, ang problema kung papano ide-deliver kasi barado nga iyong daan," pagsisiguro ni Tolentino kay Lizardo.

Ayon kay Lizardo, marami sa mga binahang lugar sa kahabaan ng highway sa pagitan ng Milaor at Naga City ay puno ng mga 'di makausad na sasakyan patungo sa magkabilang direksyon.

Tila 'di mahulugang karayom ang sikip ng daloy ng mga stranded na sasakyan, ayon pa sa alkalde.

Lalo rin umanong nadaragdagan ang trapiko ng mga dumarating pang sasakyan bilang antisipasyon sa paghupa ng tubig baha sa naturang mga lugar.