Who's really in charge of EDSA's streetlights? MMDA or DPWH?

GMANews.Tv - So who's really in charge of EDSA's streetlights?

This was the question on many online Filipinos' minds when the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) pointed at each other when asked by one concerned netizen whom to contact concerning the maintenance of the highway's lighting.

Facebook user Ronnel Cuison posted on the official MMDA page to complain about the darkness on EDSA at night due to lack of functional streetlights. The MMDA's social media team responded, saying they would recommend Cuison's concern to the DPWH. Cuison then posted on the DPWH's Facebook page a paraphrased version of his first post, only to be pointed back to the MMDA.

A screengrab showing Cuison's brief correspondence with both MMDA and DPWH has made its rounds on social media, effectively drawing flak at the two agencies' seeming lack of accountability.

However, Beth Pilorin, chief of the DPWH Public Information Division, issued the following statement to GMA News Online:

"Maintenance of streetlights along EDSA, or any national or local road within their jurisdiction, is the responsibility of the concerned Local Government Units. Inasmuch as the LGUs in Metro Manila are under the Metro Manila Development Authority, the MMDA should be on top of it. Hence, we advised the message sender that this is the concern of MMDA."

MMDA's Traffic Discipline Office Director Yves Gonzalez also clarified his agency's stand, saying,

"EDSA streetlights are managed by several entities. [Streetlights on] EDSA Buendia-Ayala [is under the responsibility of] DPWH; EDSA Taft-Roxas, MMDA; Edsa Shaw, Mandaluyong LGU and EDSA Buendia flyover, Makati LGU.

"During the first query, we were well-informed that the person is pertaining to EDSA Ayala due to numerous videos and posts. That is the reason why we told him that it's within the jurisdiction of DPWH. After that, we also told him that MMDA is not the only one managing and maintaining streetlights along EDSA. There are also LGUs and other concerned Agencies," he added.