ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) wants the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to take over the P680-million newly-built but defective flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo and go after the project contractor, International Builders Corporation (IBC).
During Wednesday’s regular session, Councilor Johnny Young proposed a resolution urging DPWH to expedite the repair of the flyover and safely open it. However, Councilor Plaridel Nava opined that Mayor Jerry Treñas, Iloilo governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and 2nd District’s Cong. Michael Gorriceta have already written DPWH expressing the same sentiment.
“For all intent and purposes, nobody will hear about this urging. As a matter of fact, DPWH has been protecting (and) defending IBC,” Nava said.
DPWH Region 6 temporarily closed the Ungka flyover on Sept. 18 – two weeks after fully opening it to traffic – after vertical displacement on its three piers was observed.
Nava suggested that the SP call out the flyover contractor this time.
“Nobody has spoken about the contractor. In fairness to DPWH, that (flyover) is not their project until nga matapos sang contractor kag ma-turnover,” said Nava.
“Puro lang black eye ang DPWH, waay gid may gatandog sa contractor…Abi nila na karun they are untouchable. Testingan ta man bi ang contractor panawagan if we want to be serious about this,” he added.
Nava suggested that the resolution should urge DPWH “to take over the Ungka Flyover and to impose liquidated damages if necessary (against the contractor).”
“Let’s urge DPWH to penalize the contractor by charging liquidated damages for every delay and for every damage incurred against the public. That is written in the law and in the contract,” he stressed.
The city councilors agreed with Nava and deferred the passage of Young’s proposed resolution.
In next week’s session they will tackle the amended proposed resolution and finalize its “whereases”.
The legislative body plans to furnish copies of the resolution – once approved – to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
On Tuesday, the DPWH central office confirmed having hired a third-party consulting firm to conduct an independent geotechnical investigation to determine the root cause of the vertical displacement of the Ungka flyover.
Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said the investigation should determine if there is a problem with where the flyover’s piers 4, 5 and 6 were erected (if counting the posts from Christ the King Memorial Park).
Bonoan said the department on Monday sent the geotechnical team to Iloilo City to begin the investigation “(on) what seems to be the problem underground.”
Geotechnical investigation, according to trenchlesspedia.com, implies the use of different methods to determine the physical properties of soil and rock below the surface of the earth in a proposed installation site. It helps engineers to make decisions regarding the type of tools that will be required to dig through the site in the most economical manner.
It also gives an assessment of potential environmental impact that a project may cause to a particular area./PN
