ILOILO – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 director Nerie Bueno confirmed that they submitted the design of the P802-million Aganan flyover in Barangay Aganan, Pavia town for review.
Bueno said although no defects were detected with the Aganan flyover, they had to be proactive since it stands on a single road line and has a similar soil class to the controversial P680-million Ungka flyover.
Both flyovers were planned by DPWH’s Bureau of Design (BOD).
“We are just thinking na baka maging pareho din ‘yong resulta. So to be sure, we returned the design sa central office namin for them to review. If they think there’s nothing to change, then okay, at least we did our part. We are just being cautious or proactive because of what happened to Ungka [flyover], kasi it’s really hard to introduce intervention kapag tapos na,” Bueno explained.
Currently, the design is still with the consultant and has not yet been returned to DPWH central office.
Because of this, construction of the Aganan flyover is still suspended, aside from its approaches where work is ongoing.
The suspension began in December 2022.
“It is suspended as of the moment until such time that a reviewed or revised design will be given to us by our central office. It was not our central office who prepared the design but the consultant na may engagement sa central office,” added Bueno.
The director said she understood the daily plight of the Ilonggos. Since she was not yet seated in DPWH when the construction began, all she could do was made ways for faster interventions.
”Kaya lang ang intervention na hinahanap natin, we cannot decide it on a day or two kasi ang deperensya nito is beneath or nasa ilalim. So, we have to bore it, we have to take time para at least ang intervention natin siguradong tama. If we rush things, baka hindi naman tama ang gagawin, lalo na magiging problema,” he said.
Earlier, DPWH-6 assistant director Jose Al Fruto said they considered using steel girders instead of concrete for the 50-meter span intersection part of the Aganan flyover.
“The premise is that ang Ungka and Aganan (flyovers) isa lang ang nagplano or nag-design, so gina-upod na lang ang paglantaw kag pag-assess,” Fruto said.
The Ungka flyover, which was closed to traffic on Sept. 18 just two weeks after it fully opened, suffers from vertical displacement.
“But we are not saying nga may issue or may deficiency man (in the Aganan flyover),” clarified Fruto.
He said steel girders are easy to fabricate and their use would hasten completion.
“This is an alternative or option just in case…kay looking at it, bug-at gani ang 26 meters (referring to span being supported by problematic piers 4, 5 and 6 of the Ungka flyover) how much more ang 50 meters span. Steel is lighter than concrete, sobra-sobra,” said Fruto.
The concrete girders already in place won’t be dismantled, added Fruto.
Aganan flyover construction began in July 2020 while the Ungka flyover began in the first quarter of 2020.
The contractor for both projects is the International Builders Corporation (IBC)./PN
