LINGAYEN–All permanent and temporary barriers and obstructions erected fronting schools and churches along national highways, provincial roads and major thoroughfares in the province will be removed following a directive from Governor Amado Espino Jr.

Espino said while the job of removing the road barriers rests on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), he directed the chiefs of police to help in the removal of structures that obstruct traffic flow.

The road barriers are usually put up in front of public and private schools ostensibly for the protection of students during start and end of school hours, but it had been observed that these are not removed even when classes are ongoing inside the campus or long after school has closed for the day.

The issue was raised during the joint meeting on Wednesday in Lingayen of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), which Espino chairs, and the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Council (RLECC), headed by Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Ramon Gatan.

The removal of the road barriers will also be implemented in the rest of Region 1, including the provinces of La Union, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

Earlier, Regional Trial Court Judge Ulysses Raciles Butuyan of Branch 52 in Tayug complained against the many road barriers that have been erected indiscriminately in front of schools and churches by barangay officials.

Butuyan earlier said while the intention of these barriers is obviously to secure the lives of children and parishioners crossing the road, barangay officials must also be concerned with the safety of motorists.

Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan affirmed it is illegal to install or erect any kind of obstruction along the national highways, provincial roads and all other major thoroughfares.

Baraan cited a barrier installed between the boundary of Alaminos and Sual which poses a serious hazard to motorists since it does not have reflectorized paint on it.

DPWH Regional Director Fidel Ginez, officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan Sub-Engineering District in Sta. Barbara town, recently issued a memorandum confirming that road barriers in front of schools and even churches are considered hazardous obstructions and must be removed.

He said road barriers are a violation to Section 23 of Presidential Decree No. 17, known as the Revised Philippine Highway Act which states that “It shall be unlawful for any person to usurp any portion of the right-of-way, to convert any part of any public highway, bridge, wharf or trail to his own private use or to obstruct the same in any manner.”—LM

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