Safe to pass by Ungka flyover, DPWH chief says

By John Noel E. Herrera

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary DPWH Sec Manuel Bonoan assured the safety of motorists passing under the P680-million Ungka flyover in Brgy Unga II, Pavia, Iloilo.

Bonoan, who inspected the flyover Friday, assured the safety of motorists passing under the flyover as they had already initiated interventions to temporarily stabilize the structure despite its sinking piers.

“Sa tingin ko wala tayong problema kung dumaan sa ilalim ng Ungka flyover kasi may mga interventions na tayo na ginawa sa baba para mag-stabilize ng konti. May ginagawa kaming shoring, nakita niyo yong steel frames sa baba at naglagay pa kami ng grouting sa baba,” he said.

This, despite Bonoan saying that he will not recommend the temporary reopening of the flyover because it continues to sink.

Bonoan explained that the flyover’s piers are still sinking by at least 0.3 millimeters, making it dangerous to reopen the flyover even to small and light vehicles during the Dinagyang Festival.

“I don’t recommend at this point in time (to open the flyover) sa light vehicles kasi nag-traffic loading test muna kami. ‘Yung control muna ng trapiko dito to see kung may behavior pa ng structure. Initially meron pa ritong napapansin,” Bonoan said.

On Thursday night, DPWH-6 conducted load testing after they got a “go signal” from the DPWH Bureau of Design (BOD). A total of seven vehicles, including one truck, were used for the load testing.

He also said that the DPWH still needs to investigate what the situation really is below the flyover to know the proper intervention needed.

“Tinitignan namin kung ano talaga ang nasa baba. Dati rati naman sa ibang tulay hindi naman nagkakaganoon (sinking). Dito lang naman sa portion na ito, piers 4, 5, 6 lang naman. ‘Yung iba naman okay naman. We don’t know baka merong malambot na malambot na lupa na napuntahan,” he said.

DPWH-6 regional director Nerie Bueno had earlier admitted that the problem is not really in the structural design itself, but more on its foundation, as the soil where the flyover stands might still be soft – a reason why they will conduct a reinvestigation of the soil stability around the Ungka flyover.

Bueno added that they have not officially engaged with the third-party consultant hired by the DPWH central office to do the intervention, as they are still waiting for the funds to be released.

“Once fund will be arriving, we can give you the timetable kasi it is dependent with the consultancy services po namin na magbibigay ng solusyon po dun sa problema, and we cannnot give an official information on the solution kasi di pa namin officially engaged yung consultant,” Bueno said.

In a meeting last Tuesday, DPWH-6 confirmed that they had already started the jet grouting on two of the piers of the flyover, but noted that it is just a temporary solution to prevent the flyover from sinking further.

“Jet grouting is not a permanent solution, it is just to stop the settlement of piers kasi if we don’t stop the settlement, masyado po yung bababa and later on we will not be able to use the existing structure anymore. So, while waiting for the permanent solution, we have to stop the settlement, so yun lang po ang reason why we put a little jet grout.” Bueno said.

Bonoan said that the department’s priority right now is to make sure that the structure is safe and not to blame who really is at fault.

“I still don’t want to talk about the fault kung sinong may fault, basta I want to look into ang puwede nating gawin, but of course we will gather all the necessary information and documentation. My concentration now is to make sure the structure is safe at magawa kaagad ang mga intervention,” he said.

In an interview with Daily Guardian on Air via Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo on Friday, Iloilo 2nd district Rep. Mike Gorriceta said that he was not informed about the site inspection conducted by the DPWH.

He also sent a copy of the letter given to the DPWH to Cong. Romeo Momo ( Chairman of the Committee on Infrastructure in the Congress), asking for the follow-up and status of the flyover, which is quite similar to the plan of Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel.

“Kay usually, pagbaton ya na, siya na dayon ma-set, ipa-agenda and schedule. Ang difference lang siguro namon ni Cong. Manuel, ang sa iya ya sulat is ma-seek sang congressional inquiry, pero amu man na, parehas man na gyapon epekto ya, kay ipatawag man gyapon bilog nga DPWH, dala pati ang contractor and stakeholders,” Gorriceta said.

Kabataan Partylist Rep Raoul Manuel earlier conducted an ocular inspection on the flyover and said that he will file a resolution for a congressional inquiry related to the flyover.