‘NO END IN SIGHT’: Aganan Flyover completion pushed back again until 2027

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The completion of the long-delayed Aganan Flyover has been pushed back again, with only the northbound lane now expected to be finished by December 2026 and the southbound lane not until March 2027.

The Department of Public Works and Highways in Western Visayas said the updated timeline reflects delays caused by additional confirmatory testing required before construction could resume.

DPWH-6 Regional Director Denise Maria Ayag said on Thursday, March 10, that the northbound lane heading toward Iloilo International Airport is projected to be finished before the end of 2026.

He said the southbound lane leading toward Iloilo City will likely be completed three months later.

The updated timeline contrasts with an earlier statement from Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, who in January described the project’s completion by December 2026 as “a Christmas gift of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the Ilonggos.”

The Aganan Flyover, located along the national highway in Pavia, Iloilo, has been plagued by repeated delays and structural concerns since construction began. The project is a critical infrastructure link connecting Iloilo City to the Iloilo International Airport and surrounding municipalities in the province’s central corridor.

Ayag said civil works resumed later than expected because the project required another confirmatory test before construction could proceed.

Dizon earlier directed the agency to secure a second opinion from a foreign consultant before allowing the contractor to resume the remaining structural works.

“We are rushing to finish it as soon as possible. I told the contractor that we have a timetable. The DPWH secretary committed that it would be a Christmas gift for the Ilonggos to make the flyover passable,” he said.

“Hopefully, we can speed things up. The earlier we finish it, the better,” he added.

Ayag said the consultant — whose identity he did not disclose — confirmed that the jet grouting conducted on Piers 7 and 8 is effective in improving ground-bearing capacity and preventing soil settlement.

Jet grouting is a ground improvement technique that injects high-pressure cement mixtures into the soil to strengthen its load-bearing capacity, a method commonly used to stabilize foundations for heavy infrastructure such as flyovers and bridges.

“After several tests, we have Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) from the consultant, and we were given a go signal that the underpinning works we are doing are effective in sustaining the structural integrity of the flyover,” he said.

ERT and MASW are geophysical testing methods used to assess subsurface conditions, including soil profiles and bearing capacity.

Last week, IBC International Builders Corp., the original contractor of the Aganan Flyover, began deploying equipment to resume the remaining jet grouting works.

Ayag said the contractor was expected to start drilling and jet grouting operations for Piers 9 and 10 on March 11.

He said all 19 piers of the flyover will undergo jet grouting to strengthen the soil foundation supporting the structure.

The contractor has also been directed to operate around the clock to accelerate the completion of the procedure.

Ayag said about 80 percent of the project’s original PHP 802 million budget has already been utilized.

He said approximately PHP 161 million remains from the initial allocation for the flyover’s construction.

IBC as lone bidder

DPWH-6 on Tuesday opened the bidding for a PHP 221,661,465 contract to complete both the northbound and southbound lanes of the flyover.

IBC International Builders Corp. emerged as the lone bidder for the project.

However, Ayag clarified that being the sole bidder does not automatically guarantee that the contractor will be awarded the project.

He said the contractor must still pass a preliminary evaluation to determine the completeness and validity of its bid documents.

The evaluation will also verify eligibility requirements such as valid licenses, financial capacity, and compliance with nondiscretionary pass-or-fail criteria.

Failure to meet any requirement will automatically disqualify the bidder and require the agency to conduct another round of bidding.

If the contractor passes the preliminary evaluation, the bid will proceed to detailed technical and financial evaluation followed by post-qualification.

Only after passing all stages will the contractor receive a Notice of Award from the DPWH.

“IBC can bid. Our bidding is open. All contractors may bid,” Ayag said.

He added that the regional office has no direct involvement in the bidding process itself.

Right-of-way payments

Ayag said DPWH-6 is also processing payments related to right-of-way issues that have affected portions of the project site.

He said the agency is currently facilitating the remaining compensation payment to property owner Aurora Jamotillo, whose lot remains partially unpaid.

Ayag said about PHP 106,000 remains unpaid for the property.

“All the documentary requirements have already been forwarded to the Central Office for the release of payment for the ROW. If not this week, maybe next week. It is just a small amount,” he said.

He added that right-of-way payments are sometimes released in installments because the funds are requested from the DPWH Central Office.

Jamotillo earlier said she was considering closing a road underneath the flyover because of the delayed compensation from the government.

In December last year, she placed a “Private Property, No Trespassing” tarpaulin under the flyover and warned that she might block the road, particularly the first approach from the Santa Barbara direction.

The same tarpaulin has again been placed beneath the flyover as the contractor resumes civil works on the stalled project.