Timely completion of Ungka rehab ‘too early to tell’, says councilor

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The chairperson of the Transportation Committee of the Iloilo City Council, Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna, said Wednesday that it’s too soon to predict the completion date of the rehabilitation works on the contentious Ungka Flyover.

A letter dated February 12 from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Western Visayas to Iloilo City Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon disclosed a meager 1.49 percent progress in the flyover’s retrofitting and strengthening from January 8 to 31 of this year.

The flyover spans both Iloilo City and the adjacent Pavia town.

The ongoing activities include the mobilization of equipment, the fabrication of structural steel for shoring, and the installation of rails/enclosures at Piers 11 to 13.

This update is in response to the city council’s Resolution No. 2024-129, which mandates the DPWH to provide monthly progress reports to the local legislature regarding the flyover’s status.

Cabaluna, who also served as acting vice mayor on Wednesday, expressed contentment with the DPWH’s report, commending the agency’s dedication to the city and its residents.

Regarding the finalization of the rehabilitation works, Cabaluna stated it is “too early to tell,” noting that preliminary activities need to be completed before the full-scale engineering works can begin.

“There hasn’t been any indication that they are behind schedule or that they didn’t start on time. What’s crucial is that we are kept informed. In the upcoming months, we should be able to ascertain if there will be any actual delays as the work progresses,” he remarked.

The ₱95.94-million contract, which is scheduled to span 120 days or approximately 6 months, was awarded to Monolithic Construction and Concrete Products, Inc., based in Davao City, as stated on the DPWH’s website.

The contract includes various specific tasks such as the rental and operation of a field office for the engineer, project billboard and signboard, occupational safety and health program, traffic management, mobilization and demobilization, structural steel bracings, and jet grouting.

These repair works were initiated following recommendations from a third-party consultation that investigated the flyover in 2023 after public reports surfaced about structural defects while the flyover was in operation.

#DailyGuardian was first to report on the sinking flyover in September 2022.