POSMO: Balabago access road not yet open to public

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Balabago Easy Access Road in Jaro district has not been opened to the public as authorities have yet to finalize terms for its use, the Public Order and Safety Management Office (POSMO) clarified.

POSMO head Uldarico Garbanzos said the road is already completed but passes through private subdivisions, making safety and stakeholder coordination a key concern.

“The project is still subject to a collaboration meeting,” Garbanzos said on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

“We will still check what is the stand of the homeowners if we open the area to the public,” he added.

The clarification came after a resident posted on social media expressing frustration over being unable to pass through the road.

The netizen said he attempted to use the road from Cubay, Jaro, to La Paz as a shortcut but was delayed when he found the gate locked.

Garbanzos emphasized that there has been no official declaration that the road is open.

“We are in the process of expediting its opening to the public,” he said, noting that POSMO will engage with five barangays and two homeowners’ associations to reach a “win-win” agreement.

Planned discussions will cover safety protocols such as enhanced security, village guard visibility, and possibly implementing window hours for access.

Garbanzos also proposed closing select sections to prevent subdivisions from being reduced to mere entry and exit points.

He suggested possible access controls or pedestrian screening on the homeowners’ side of the road.

He said the road’s opening is expected to ease traffic at Jaro Plaza and serve as an alternate route to La Paz, nearby subdivisions, and the City Proper.