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ILOILO City – The demolition of the overpass on Bonifacio Drive would entail the closure of the area in front of the Department of Tourism regional office where the structure is standing, according to Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias.
The demolition already has a “notice to proceed” from the City Engineer’s Office.
“The temporary road closure needs an ordinance from the Iloilo City Council. Hopefully this would be approved,” said Banias.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. sought the overpass’ demolition. The provincial government is redeveloping its property near the overpass.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod actually approved the demolition in April last year yet but it was only early this month that the City Engineer’s Office issued a demolition permit.
Banias said Defensor Sr. and the head of the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) recently discussed the road closure.
The provincial government wanted to carry out the demolition beginning April 27 up to April 29 (Friday to Sunday).
Both Defensor and Conlu had identified a temporary route for vehicles while the demolition is ongoing – the street at the back of the Iloilo provincial capitol.
“PSTMO traffic enforcers will direct the flow of vehicles,” said Banias.
The contractor for the demolition is Pabcon Builders and Construction Supply.
Waste material would be turned over to the city government which constructed the P2-million overpass in the 1990s.
The provincial government allotted a budget of P100,000 for the demolition – a fourth of its P400-million allocation for the capitol complex redevelopment.
The overpass was meant for the safety of people crossing the busy Bonifacio Drive to transact with offices in the area such as the Iloilo Hall of Justice, Metro Iloilo Water District, the Philippine Red Cross, Department of Tourism, Radyo ng Bayan, Iloilo provincial capitol, Museo Iloilo and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, among others.
People, however, found climbing the overpass impractical just to get to the other side of the street.
In November 2016, renowned architect Paulo Alcazaren and Tourism regional director Helen Catalbas discussed with Defensor the plan to establish a “local government center” in the area.
“The area must have its own activities,” said Defensor. He stressed that he wanted the project completed before his term ends in 2019.
According to the governor, they thought of building a plaza/park at the front yard of the soon-to-be completed regional museum (formerly the old provincial jail) and a multilevel parking space at the back.
Buildings housing Radyo ng Bayan and the nearby DOT regional office may be demolished. The state-owned radio station may be transferred to the nearby Philippine Red Cross building, while the Red Cross may be relocated to the Iloilo National High School compound in La Paz district where it can erect a new building, he said in 2016.
On the other hand, the DOT regional office may be moved to the adjacent Museo Iloilo, which may also serve as a tourist information center and possibly a souvenir center as well./PN