DPWH lists Aganan detours for flyover girder installation

ILOILO CITY — Motorists and commuters are advised to expect traffic buildup and temporary road closures at the Gorriceta Avenue intersection in Barangay Aganan, Pavia, Iloilo, as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) proceeds with the installation of prestressed concrete girders for the Aganan Flyover.

According to a DPWH Regional Office VI notice issued Sept. 15, the affected road section will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 19-20, Sept. 26-27, and Oct. 10-11, 2026.

The temporary closures are necessary to provide sufficient working space for construction equipment and activities and to ensure the safety of workers, motorists, pedestrians, and the general public, the DPWH said.

The project is being undertaken under contract with International Builders Corp.

During the closures, motorists will be redirected through designated alternate routes in coordination with traffic management and public safety offices.

Motorists traveling from Santa Barbara and Pavia toward Iloilo City may pass through the Pavia town proper, including Carlitos, Pavia Plaza, Barangay Anilao, Barangay Tacas, and Quintin Salas, before proceeding to Jaro Plaza.

They may also use the Circumferential Road toward the Ungka Flyover intersection and Jaro Plaza.

Motorists from Santa Barbara heading to Iloilo City may also use Taft Street through Barangay Agutayan, Barangay Cabugao Norte, Barangay Tigum, Pagsangaan, Barangay Tacas, Quintin Salas, and Jaro Plaza.

Those traveling from Santa Barbara toward San Miguel, Iloilo, are advised to take Taft Street through Barangay Agutayan, Barangay Cabugao Norte, Barangay Tigum, and Pagsangaan before proceeding through Barangay Tacas and the Circumferential Road.

Motorists traveling from San Miguel to Santa Barbara are advised to use the Circumferential Road via Libao-an, then proceed through Barangay Tacas, Pagsangaan, Tigum, Cabugao Norte, and Agutayan.

For motorists traveling from Iloilo City toward Santa Barbara and Pavia, recommended routes include the Ungka Flyover and Circumferential Road, followed by Barangay Tacas, Pagsangaan, Tigum, Cabugao Norte, and Agutayan.

An alternative route is through Barangay Anilao and Poblacion Pavia.

The DPWH said the contractor will install warning and directional signs, barricades, and other traffic-control devices at strategic locations.

Authorities are urging motorists to plan trips ahead, allow additional travel time, and follow traffic signs and instructions while the temporary closures are in place.

The girder installation is a major step in the construction of the Aganan Flyover’s elevated roadway.

The prestressed concrete girders will support the flyover deck and carry traffic loads between the structure’s piers.

The flyover sits along the Iloilo-Pavia-Santa Barbara corridor that links Iloilo City to the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, one of the busiest stretches of road in the province.

The installation follows corrective and stabilization works undertaken after inspections identified structural and foundation-related concerns that delayed the project.

Construction of the Aganan Flyover began in July 2020, with completion originally targeted within about two years.

The project was later suspended over concerns about its foundation and design, prompting the DPWH to commission additional engineering and geotechnical studies to determine appropriate rectification measures.

In January 2026, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon ordered a third-party assessment of the flyover, including a review by a foreign consultant, before final construction works proceeded.

Dizon said at the time that the DPWH was targeting completion of the flyover within 2026, stressing that safety would not be compromised in expediting the project.

During his April inspection in Iloilo, Dizon described delays in critical infrastructure projects as unacceptable and ordered efforts to expedite the remaining works without compromising structural safety.

The DPWH subsequently set a phased completion schedule for the Aganan Flyover, with the northbound lane toward Iloilo International Airport targeted to open in December 2026 and the southbound portion toward Iloilo City scheduled for completion by February 2027.

As of June 19, the southbound section was about 70% complete, according to DPWH data included in the notice.

The project has received additional funding for rectification and completion works, with the DPWH citing an additional PHP 229 million allocation in the 2026 budget on top of the project’s original cost of about PHP 802 million.

The road-closure notice was received by Iloilo Provincial Board Member Rolando B. Distura, chairperson of the Committee on Infrastructure, on Sept. 16.