ILOILO City – Motorists can use the P591-million Hibao-an flyover in Barangay Hibao-an, Mandurriao district in time for the holidays.
Engr. Sanny Boy Oropel, officer-in-charge of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6, said the flyover’s completion is on track. The project contractor is International Builders Corporation (IBC).
“Sa Dec. 15 ma-open ta na ang bridge, ang salakyan puede na makasaka sa babaw,” Oropel said in a Panay News interview yesterday.
He, however, said the civil works underneath the flyover, particularly the road widening, may take time to complete due to the lot owners’ resistance to sell their property to the government.
Oropel said the project contractor is currently working double time to complete the installation of the Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Retaining Walls on both approaches of the flyover.
“We are doing overtime work, subong damo tawo na da. Ma-open ta gid na sini nga December, ang pinakadugay is Dec. 15, matapos na gid na,” he added.
The DPWH-6 chief explained they could not rush the completion of the MSE retaining walls as it involved a special methodology to ensure the safety of the approaches.
For the road widening, Oropel said it will depend on how fast the acquisition of the right of way progresses.
But, he said once the national government releases funds to DPWH-6 to expropriate the lots, the department would do it to fast-track the road widening.
The Hibao-an flyover, positioned along the Iloilo Circumferential Road (C-1), stretches 240 meters and boasts two lanes featuring six 40-meter-span pre-stressed concrete girders (PSCG).
Construction commenced in late 2020.
The flyover aims to facilitate access to the southern part of Iloilo and the neighboring province of Antique while reducing traffic congestion in the neighboring towns of Pavia and San Miguel, as well as the roads within Mandurriao district.
On Oct. 19, former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon visited the Hibao-an flyover and affirmed, “We will open it just in time for Christmas.”
“You can see the traffic here before was terrible and that is why we work for the funding of this project. This is one of the four flyovers that we funded last years of my term in the Senate and we’re about to finish it,” added Drilon./PN
