ILOILO City – The controversial P680-million Ungka flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo is one of the last big-ticket projects that then senator Franklin Drilon worked on before retiring from public service in June last year.
Does he still consider it a legacy project?
“I know that what you would like me to say is to disown it. I will not,” Drilon replied when asked on the sidelines of yesterday’s unveiling of markers of two city bridges here.
The former senator said the Ungka flyover was “a project that I worked on…there may be problems (but) problems are solvable.”
The four-lane, 453.7-meter-long flyover, completed last September 2022, is suffering from vertical displacement. Its piers are sinking.
“I urge that whatever defects there are should be addressed and hopefully be finished in due time,” said Drilon.
The Ungka flyover was fully opened to traffic on Sept. 5, 2022 then closed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 on Sept. 16, 2022 or just after 11 days. It inspected the flyover and discovered the vertical displacement after motorists complained of a rough ride due to the uneven or “wavy” decking – the road or the rail surface of the flyover.
“I am disappointed but these things happen…not only here but on other projects of the government…we take it as part of doing this project. You cannot have a perfect situation,” said Drilon.
He expressed confidence that the flyover will be fixed.
“What is important is that you are able to recover from whatever shortcomings there are,” said Drilon.
The Ungka flyover was built to make travel convenient from Iloilo City to the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo and vice versa.
“I do hope and I urge the Department of Public Works and Highways to come up with engineering interventions necessary so that our people can use the flyover as soon as possible,” Drilon told reporters.
A third party contractor that DPWH tasked to conduct a geotechnical investigation on the Ungka flyover said at least P250 million is needed for the repair.
He attended yesterday the unveiling of markers of two city bridges named after father (Atty. Cesar M. Drilon Sr. Bridge connecting the downtown Arroyo Street to Lapuz district) and uncle (Dr. Rex D. Drilon Bridge connecting Barangay President Roxas in the City Proper to Barangay Rizal in La Paz district).
On April 25, 2022, Drilon graced the “topping out” ceremony for the Ungka flyover.
In construction, topping out (sometimes referred to as topping off) is a rite traditionally held when the last beam (or its equivalent) is placed atop a structure during its construction. It also signifies that the structure being built has reached its maximum height (not that the project has reached completion).
ACCOUNTABILITY
The United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) called for accountability and immediate solution to the flyover mess.
“Matagal ng nagdurusa ang mga motorista dahil sa palpak na disenyo ng milyong Ungka flyover. Dapat nang kumilos ‘yung kasalukuyang pamunuan ng DPWH upang matapos na ang mahabang panahong pagtitiis na ambag ng mga mamamayan na dapat sana ay nakikinabang na sa benepisyong ipinangako ng tulay na ito,” read part of the group’s manifesto posted online.
The UFCC headed by Rudolfo Javellana Jr. particularly called out the DPWH Bureau of Design for wasting the taxpayers’ money, and the United Technology Consolidated Partnership (UTCP) that conducted the soil test before the flyover’s construction. It was also the geotechnical consultancy firm tasked to formulate the plan and design of the Ungka flyover. The review of it was done by the DPWH Bureau of Design.
“Nakakadismaya na ang mga responsable sa pagkasayang ng kaban ni Juan dela Cruz — ang Bureau of Design ng DPWH central office at UTCP, na siyang nagsagawa ng soil test bago sinimulan ang konstruksiyon ng Ungka flyover, ay wala pang pinal na solusyon para tapusin na ang pasakit na dinaranas matapos na ito ay maipasara noong Setyembre 16, 2022. Dalawang linggo pa lamang pinakinabangan ng publiko,” the manifesto further read.
The group called on the Congress to not leave no stone unturned and investigate the officials of DPWH central office and UTCP.
“Ang United Filipino Commuters and Consumers o UFCC ay nakikisimpatiya sa ating mga kababayan sa parusa ng depektibong flyover. Mariin nating kinokondena ang kapabayaang nangyari. Kinakalampag natin ang Kongreso at kasalukuyang pamunan ng DPWH,” they added.
Earlier, Ilonggo structural engineer Nilo Jardeleza said the DPWH and UTCP are accountable for the defective flyover.
He explained that it was not part of the scope of work of the local contractor to conduct soil testing as it was already accomplished by the UTCP, thus the local contractor has no liability for the implementation of faulty plan and design of the Ungka flyover.
Meanwhile, third-party consulting firm Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants which DPWH tapped to conduct a geotechnical audit of the flyover recommended that DPWH repair the vertical displacement at piers 4, 5 and 6 of the flyover that will entail at least P250 million more to fix.
It said the repair could take 10 months. It found not just three piers sinking but all of the flyover’s 16 piers although by varying degrees./PN
