MBDA’s role in highway, motorists’ safety, cited

CITY of BALANGA, Bataan – The 24/7 patrolling along the Roman Highway of the members of the Metro Bataan Development Authority (MBDA) has not only ensured the safety of the motorists but also played a major role in ridding hijacking and hold up incidents along the strategic highway.

MBDA General Manager Charlie Pizarro said that since its creation more than a year ago, there are no more reported cases of hijackings and hold ups along the Bataan expressway due to the presence of MBDA patrollers 24/7, whose mandate is not only to ensure the smooth passage of motorists from Layac all the way to Mariveles but also to go after illegal settlers and other forms of criminal activities in the highway.

“Wala na tayong nababalitaan na naha hijack na trucks sa kahabaan ng Roman highway dahil na rin siguro sa 24/7 na pagpapatrolya ng mga MBDA personnel natin,” pointed out Pizarro.

The creation of the MBDA was a brainchild of Gov. Abet S. Garcia in his bid to protect not only the motorists but also traders who are regularly passing through the highway. Gov. Garcia’s action came in the wake of a bigger number of investors pouring in more investments at the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB), Limay town and other areas in the province.

Then congressman Abet Garcia had initiated the conversion of the Bataan Economic Zone into FAB, making the Bataan Freeport alive again. “We want to assure our investors that they are safe and can sleep soundly at night once they are in Bataan. So we created the MBDA,” pointed out the bachelor governor.