ILOILO – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) here sought the intervention of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office on the vertical displacement of the P680-million flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia town. The SP, during its regular session on Nov. 22, adopted the joint committee report of the committees on infrastructure, transportation, communication, and public utilities on the complaints relative to the Ungka flyover and passed four resolutions with regards to this.
One resolution requests the Bureau of Design under the DPWH central office to come up with an ideal design with all the geological circumstances factored in and to personally visit and assess the three other flyovers – Buhang and Jibao-an flyovers in Iloilo City and Aganan flyover in Pavia – being constructed to ensure integrity and safety.
According to 4th District Board member Rolando Distura, who chairs the committee on infrastructure, he delivered their committee report amid the DPWH Region 6’s failure to submit a report regarding the Ungka flyover as agreed during a previous committee hearing.
“Nag-angan-angan man kita because naintindihan ta man kay naagyan kita ni ‘Paeng’, overwhelmed man ang DPWH sang ila nga trabaho but be that as it may, indi ina ya reason. We would even appreciate tani… maski tawag lang tani nga indi ka-submit anay sang report bangod masaku,” Distura said.
The provincial legislator noted he only learned about the uncertainty of the reopening of the Ungka flyover before Christmas on media reports. He said they have not received any official communication from DPWH regarding this.
“I’m waiting and I’m sorry if they cannot provide us with any information. Ti, they would hear something siguro unsuitable to their ears next week kon wala ako may mabaton,” Distura added.
Other SP resolutions passed, based on the recommendations of the joint committees, sought the following:
* to request DPWH Regional Office 6 and contractor International Builders Corporation (IBC) to hire consultants from Semirara Mining and Power Corporation to give insights and recommendations on the vertical displacement of the Ungka flyover and to employ a third equipment for jet grouting of the flyover;
* to direct DPWH Regional Office 6 to submit to the committee on infrastructure of the Iloilo SP a regular report on the progress of the project; and
* to request the Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (ICPSTMO) and the Pavia Traffic Management Office (PTMO) to regularly meet to address the rerouting and the management of the traffic in the area, as well as to provide tarpaulins as a warning device.
Distura said they are eyeing, too, to request congressmen like Iloilo City’s Julienne Baronda and Iloilo 2nd District’s Mike Gorriceta to intercede on the matter.
The Ungka flyover was closed on Sept. 18, just two weeks after it was fully opened to traffic due to vertical displacement.
Engineer Jose Al Fruto, DPWH-6 assistant regional director, earlier said engineers from the DPWH central office advised a temporary shoring plan on three piers (piers 4, 5, and 6, counting the posts from Christ the King Memorial Park), where vertical displacements were observed.
A pier is an overall system that extends to the ground below, including the posts supporting the girders, coping and columns. It is used to support the superstructure of the flyover.
Shoring means a support made of steel (shoring jack) will be set in place by the IBC, the project contractor, around the three aforementioned piers to avoid progression of displacement.
But, in an earlier statement during the first inquiry called by Iloilo City councilor Sedrey Cabaluna, Fruto said corrective measures will be instituted such as jet grouting in the affected portion of the flyover.
The Ungka flyover is 453.7 lineal meters long on a bored pile foundation, including the approaches. Construction started in January 2020.
The flyover 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). It aims to decongest traffic in the area and shorten the travel time to the Iloilo Airport (in Cabatuan, Iloilo) from Iloilo City to just 20 minutes./PN
