‘DEFECTIVE FLYOVER A PUBLIC INCONVENIENCE’

Public utility jeepney driver Narciso Parcon says the closure of the poorly-built P680-million Ungka flyover for repairs has spawned traffic congestion that hurts their income. AJ PALCULLO/PN
Public utility jeepney driver Narciso Parcon says the closure of the poorly-built P680-million Ungka flyover for repairs has spawned traffic congestion that hurts their income. AJ PALCULLO/PN

BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS

ILOILO City – Instead of easing traffic congestion in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district, the defective P680-million flyover built there has worsened the situation.

Public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers are getting desperate.

Sakto lang ni sa krudo ang income namon tungod sa traffic,” said 52-year-old Narciso Parcon, driver of a PUJ serving the Pavia , Iloilo – La Paz, Iloilo City route.

The holiday season, which is traditionally a good time for PUJ drivers to earn more, could aggravate the situation in the area.

“Hulaton ta na lang ni kun san-o matapos ang flyover (repair), basi pa man lang mag mayo ang amon income,” said Parcon.

The ongoing repair of the flyover has slowed down the flow of vehicles, particularly during rush hours.

The four-lane Ungka flyover was fully opened to public use on the first week of September but was closed to traffic on Sept. 18. It was found to be suffering from vertical displacement (subsidence or slumping).

Tama gid ka delay ang amon biyahe tungod sa traffic kag awat sa oras,” said Joebert Gallentes, 22, and driver a PUJ serving the Ungka-CPU route.

Because of this, he said, the number of trips they make in a day has dropped, which in turn adversely affects their daily income.

“Kun muni pirme ang traffic, ang gasto namon sa krudo tama gid ka pierde,” Gallentes said.

Joebert Gallentes, driver of an Ungka-CPU jeepney, says the number of trips they make in a day has dropped due to traffic congestion in Barangay Ungka, Jaro, Iloilo City. AJ PALCULLO/PN

He can only bring home around P300 to P500 for his family daily.

The traffic problem is seen to continue beyond the holiday season. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 and its flyover project contractor, International Builders Corporation, are not expected to finish repairing the flyover this month.

The flyover was built supposedly to ease traffic congestion in Ungka, especially during rush hours, and reduce travel time to the Iloilo Airport from the city to some 20 minutes only from the usual 40 to 45 minutes.

Its construction started last January 2020. It passes over the busy intersection of the Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue (Diversion Road) and the President Corazon C. Aquino Avenue (Circumferential Road 1)./PN

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