Senate Majority Leader Francis ‘Tol’ Tolentino called on the private sector 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.
The legislator 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 lawmaker 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 were stranded in Milaor town, 15 kilometers north of Naga City.
“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.”
“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,” the senator said.
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.
“Marami nagpadala ng tulong at may mga nandiyan na, kaya lang hindi makadaan.”
“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.
Lizardo 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.
He 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.
Lizardo 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.
