Elections are over; Time to paint the roads

I am a resident of Quezon City, and I write this letter out of deep concern for the safety of our citizens—especially children and the elderly—due to the glaring absence of lane markings and pedestrian crossings on many of our city roads as a result of the rushed asphalting of roads shortly before the May 2025 elections.

Every day, motorists on Commonwealth Avenue (aka the “killer highway”) and Kamuning and Kamias Roads, among others, are left to guess their positions on unmarked streets. Without clear lane divisions, even cautious drivers are vulnerable to confusion and misjudgment, increasing the risk of accidents. Pedestrians, meanwhile, have no designated spaces to cross safely. This is especially alarming near schools, markets, and residential areas, where young children and senior citizens are frequent road users.

What makes this matter even more frustrating is that these basic safety features remain missing despite the recent election season, during which road improvements were frequently promised or hurriedly initiated. Yet, as the banners have come down, the lines that should guide and protect our people remain invisible.

We respectfully call on our Honorable City Mayor Joy Belmonte to act with urgency. Repainting road lane markings and installing pedestrian lines are not grand infrastructure projects, they are basic necessities that demonstrate a local government’s commitment to safety and order. The urgency cannot be overstated: every day without these markings is another day our people are placed at unnecessary risk.

Barangay leaders must be at the forefront of this call. They are the closest to the communities affected, and must not remain silent. They should raise their voices collectively and persistently until this matter is addressed by City Hall.