Town council seeks Senate, ICI probes on P802-M flyover

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor and Jennifer P. Rendon

The Sangguniang Bayan of Pavia, Iloilo has formally requested separate investigations by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) into the stalled PHP 802-million Aganan Flyover project, citing cost overruns, structural concerns, and lack of accountability.

The calls for inquiry were made through Resolutions 2025-156 and 2025-157, approved on September 22 and submitted to the concerned offices on October 7.

The SB resolution asked the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations to look into project delays, implementation issues, and the utilization of funds for the flyover and other infrastructure in Pavia.

It also urged the Office of the President, through the ICI, to examine the prolonged suspension and unresolved construction issues.

The council noted that the flyover, originally scheduled for completion in 2023, remains unfinished with only 81 percent of work done as of late.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) began construction of the 436.9-lineal meter flyover in November 2019, but suspended the project in October 2022 due to vertical displacement issues linked to shallow bored piles.

A bored pile is a reinforced concrete foundation element cast in place to transfer structural loads to deeper, stable soil layers, and its depth is critical to ensure safety and stability.

Earlier soil testing by United Technology Consolidated Partnership (UTCP), hired by the DPWH Bureau of Design, indicated stable layers at 20 to 24 meters.

However, confirmatory tests by third-party consultants revealed that stable layers existed only at depths of 40 to 54 meters.

The inaccurate soil investigation was cited as a major design flaw and a possible cause of structural instability, with similarities noted to the controversial Ungka Flyover in Iloilo.

The DPWH has since tapped Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants, which conducted a geotechnical study in September 2024 and recommended jet grouting to stabilize the soil and mitigate future displacement.

Jet grouting, a high-pressure injection technique, improves soil strength and reduces permeability by creating soil-cement columns that support structural loads.

The remaining funds from the PHP 802 million budget will reportedly be used for the jet grouting process.

However, the DPWH has also proposed an additional PHP 285 million in its 2026 budget to complete the flyover, subject to Congressional approval.

If funded, the agency targets completion of the flyover by the fourth quarter of 2026.

Local officials stressed that the flyover’s prolonged suspension has led to daily traffic congestion, with commuters reportedly taking more than an hour to travel between Pavia and Iloilo City.

“This hampers mobility, disrupts commerce, and diminishes the quality of life in Pavia and neighboring towns,” the resolution read.

Pavia Mayor Laurence Anthony “Luigi” Gorriceta said he already raised the issue with the Commission on Audit and the Office of the Ombudsman but has received no concrete response.

Meanwhile, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. expressed support for the Sangguniang Bayan’s move to escalate the issue.

Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, has also weighed in, directing the DPWH to collect liquidated damages from UTCP for the three-year delay in project completion.

The Sangguniang Bayan warned that the continued lack of transparency and inaction not only endangers public welfare but also erodes trust in government institutions responsible for infrastructure delivery.