BROKEN PROMISE?: Board member slams DPWH for slow move on sinking flyover

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

“We deserve better.”

This was the sentiment of Iloilo provincial board member Rolly Distura (4^th district) during their regular session Tuesday at the Capitol.

The object of his ire?

The purported broken promise of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on the quick resolution of the structural woes of the P680-million Ungka II flyover between Jaro, Iloilo City, and Pavia, Iloilo.

The flyover was temporarily closed to traffic on Sept 18, 2022, just over a week after it was opened, due to vertical movement or sinking of three piers or foundations.

Daily Guardian first reported on the problem on Sept 15, 2022 following complaints from motorists and commuters on the “wavy” sensation every time they pass through the flyover constructed by International Builders Corp. (IBC) under the auspices of DPWH.

A source with insider knowledge of the project told DG that three of the bored piles or foundations of the flyover may have settled or moved after it was opened to vehicular traffic in early September 2022.

DPWH has begun shoring or propping up the sinking piers in preparation for a more permanent solution like jet grouting or injecting concrete below the affected foundations to stop the movement.

In a telephone interview, Distura, committee on infrastructure chair, said DPWH promised during a hearing at the Capitol last Oct 12 that they will have good news as regards the flyover before Christmas.

“It was (DPWH Assistant Regional Director) Al Fruto who said it will be a Merry Christmas for us. While they did not say it categorically, there seems to be a problem with the design. All we asked from them was to regularly update us on the developments, especially the final resolution to the problem,” he added.

But the regular update came more than a month after the hearing when the DPWH regional office sent a letter to Distura on Nov 28.

“In the letter, they cannot anymore give a timeline on the final solution. All they have done is shoring work but not a word on the final design from their Bureau of Design (BoD). It was an open-ended letter, with nary a promise or assurance that they are doing something about this. But Ilonggos are not in a waiting disposition because of the traffic woes that this problem has caused,” Distura said.

One of the pet projects of former senator Franklin Drilon, the flyover was seen to ease traffic in the Ungka II area which has been the site of major development such as malls and business processes outsourcing firms.

The area is also the main route to the Iloilo airport, which is the gateway to the city and province of Iloilo.

Distura’s speech led to the approval of a resolution with the following action points:

–          Request DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan to take immediate action on the matter;

–          Request Reps. Julienne Baronda of Iloilo City, Michael Gorriceta of Iloilo 2nd district, Jojo Ang of Uswag Ilonggo Partylist to help ventilate and intercede in the matter; and

–          Send a copy of the resolution to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The board member said the city and province should now “pool all efforts to put forth this issue because Ilonggos deserve better than this.”

The Ungka II flyover is just one of the four vehicular flyovers being constructed on the main roads of Iloilo City and the province through the efforts of former senator Drilon.

The others are the P560-million Aganan flyover in Barangay Aganan, Pavia; the Jibao-an flyover along the Iloilo Circumferential Road-Mandurriao-San Miguel Road section in Mandurriao district; and the Buhang flyover along the Iloilo Circumferential Road-Iloilo-Capiz Road (new route) section in Jaro district.