CITY OF MALOLOS—The city’s welcome arc along the MacArthur highway in Barangay Tikay is a road obstruction and should be moved and reconstructed in the outermost lanes or shoulder of the highway to ensure the safety of motorists, officials said.
Mayor Christian Natividad is reacting in an accident early morning on Thursday when a truck driver and a helper were injured after their vehicle loaded with sand smashed into the concrete-made arc in the boundary of Barangay Tabang, Guiguinto and Barangay Tikay in City of Malolos.
The mayor said a reconstruction is needed to be done to prevent another accident.
“The structure is constructed in the inner lane of the highway. It really put motorists in danger. It is a road obstruction and must really be reconstructed,” he told the media following the incident.
Glen Reyes, Provincial Engineer of Bulacan told NEWS CORE on Friday, the reconstruction of the welcome arc is already on schedule next month. The new arc will be constructed at the outermost lanes and will be utilizing the right of way to make sure it will not cause any obstruction to the highway.
According to Reyes, the arc was constructed in 1998 in time for the centennial celebration of the June 12, 1898 Philippine Independence in Barasoain Church, which is located in the capital city of Bulacan.
The arc has a top marking of “City of Malolos” and “Bulakan”. “Bulacan” referring to the province is also erroneously written because it was “Bulakan, (with a letter “k”) which refers to Bulakan town, the old capital of the province and not “Bulacan,” the province.
The portion of MacArthur highway in Barangay Tabang in Guiguinto and Barangay Tikay in this capital city is the major, most accessible and fastest route going to Barasoain Church.
But according to Reyes, the arc was not erroneously constructed. During that time, he said, that part of the MacArthur highway was only two lanes. However, because of road widening works in the succeeding years, the arc was displaced.
The MacArthur highway is a national highway and is under the works and maintenance of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“We have already made a bid for the arc reconstruction. It will be replaced with a new one. This time it will maximize the outer lanes using the right of way to free the highway from any obstruction,” he said.
Roy Perez, 31, truck helper suffered massive injuries on his right leg and foot. His brother, Ronald Perez, 32, driver of the truck was also injured. Both of them are residents of Purok 4, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. They were rushed to Bulacan Medical Center in this city but were transferred to a hospital in Cabanatuan City for treatment of their injuries.
Ronald was driving a Foton truck registered as CAK-1696 when he suddenly fell asleep which caused the vehicle to smash into the concrete-made arc at around 4:56 a.m on Feb. 22
Police investigator S/Sgt. Edgar De Jesus told NEWS CORE that the truck loaded with sand came from Capaz, Tarlac and was bound for Cavite.
The truck had blocked the traffic in the area for about 6 hours. End to-end tail of traffic reaches about 4 kilometers from Tabang Cloverleaf near the North Luzon Expressway (NLeX) Tollgate and in Barangay San Pablo in this city.
