Underground Cables Delay JM Basa Street Drainage

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Iloilo City District Engineering Office (ICDEO) reported that the construction of a drainage system on JM Basa Street has been delayed due to the presence of underground utilities.

The ICDEO is working on a drainage system along both sides of JM Basa Street in the City Proper, spanning from Socorro Drug Store to Guanco Street.

Initially budgeted at around PHP49.4 million, the project was set for completion by January 2025 but has now been pushed to April 2025. The original contract duration of 292 days has been extended to 382 days.

“Originally, the contract for this project took effect on March 21, 2024. However, due to several circumstances, it was delayed,” said ICDEO Engineer Dave Belarga at a press conference on Tuesday.

The contract was awarded to G. Uy Construction.

Belarga explained that the delays are mainly due to existing underground utilities, including cables from Globe and the Department of Information and Communications Technology, as well as waterlines from Metro Pacific Iloilo Water.

He also noted that recent heavy rains have further slowed the project’s progress.

As of October, the project has achieved only 15.71 percent completion, covering tasks such as earthwork excavation, pipe laying, and sheet pile driving on the left side of the street.

The project scope includes constructing a drainage system using high-density polyethylene and rehabilitating Plazoleta Gay.

When asked why the drainage system was being built on JM Basa Street, an area with a low occurrence of flooding, Belarga clarified that the primary goal is to channel water from Plazoleta Gay and Ledesma Street.

“The project’s layout connects the outfall to the box culvert on Guanco Street, which the regional office has already constructed,” he added.

Belarga emphasized that JM Basa Street was chosen as the shortest and most efficient route to handle floodwater from Iznart Street.

“We have coordinated with the Transportation and Traffic Management Office and are expediting the project. Previously, we faced delays as the DICT requested us to locate their pipes, but we are accommodating their requirements to ensure continuous work for our contractor,” he said.