ILOILO – Today at 5 p.m. cause-oriented groups will hold an indignation rally against the P680-million newly-constructed but defective flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia town.
Secretary-general Elmer Forro of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) – Panay said they will position at the flyover’s approach (Pavia side or in front of GT Mall).
Rallyists will demand accountability for the flyover’s poor construction.
Third-party consulting firm Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants hired by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to conduct a geotechnical evaluation of the flyover said at least P250 million more is needed for the repair.
DPWH paid P13.480 million for the geotechnical evaluation.
The repair is projected to take 10 months to complete, and its budget sourced from DPWH savings in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 or from the FY 2024 budget.
“Ang aton panawagan indi puede nga kalimtan na lang, ipahigad na lang, ma-move on lang ta, solusyonan lang nga wala sang manabat. Dapat may manabat, kon kinahanglan manabat si contractor dapat sabton ya. Kon kinahanglan manabat si DPWH dapat sabton nila,” Forro told Panay News.
He lamented that ordinary people are imprisoned for petty crimes, but as to who should be held liable for the expensive flyover, it is still unclear.
“Masubo nga kon ordinary nga mga pumoluyo ang makahimu sang sala, gilayon nga dakpon kag priso. Pero ining P680 million isa ka grabe nga krimen sa mga pumoluyo bangod sa tunga sang malala nga krisis wala gani may ginahatag nga ayuda sa mga pumoluyo, but then gina-uyangan lang ang amo ni kadaku nga kwarta,” added Forro.
Here, Forro invited the public, especially those inconvenienced by the defective flyover, to join the condemnation rally and call for justice.
Also joining the condemnation rally are the Promotion of Church People’s Response Panay and Guimaras, ACT (Ilonggos for Accountability and Transparency) Now, religious sector, drivers, commuters, professionals, and students, among others.
Father Marco Sulayao, chairperson of the Promotion of Church People’s Response Panay and Guimaras, said they will join the condemnation rally because Ilonggos should unite after struggling for years.
“Sang ginatukod pa lang ang flyover, grabe na ang pag-antus sang pumuluyo pero gin-ulu-agwanta anay kay para sa development. Gin-intiende naton ina kay para bisan paano ma-iban-ibanan ang traffic. Ang problema sini, tubtob san-o kita mag-agwanta? Kinahanglan na gid ini sang konkreto nga aksyon agud ma-pressure ining gobyerno,” said Sulayao in an interview with Aksyon Radyo Iloilo.
Monsignor Meliton Oso, director of the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center, also expressed support for the groups’ condemnation rally.
He said, despite not being present due to a prior appointment, someone should be held liable for the flyover and be given a proper engineering solution.
“Indi puede nga masiling lang nga mahimu or mangita solution, dapat may manabat gid kay kon ginhimu nila with due diligence tani nahimu na ina sang husto nga wala ma-delay kag wala maka-experience sang kalbaryo ang commuters sang syudad kag probinsya so somebody must be accountable,” said Oso.
Earlier, the DPWH gave evasive answers when asked who should be held accountable for the defective flyover.
Undersecretary Roberto R. Bernardo said they are, at the moment, focused on applying engineering interventions and not on looking for who to blame.
Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants, which DPWH tapped to conduct a geotechnical audit of the flyover, found not just three piers sinking but all of the 16 piers, including two abutments, although in varying degrees.
Bernardo said the project contractor, International Builders Corporation (IBC), followed the design of the flyover that DPWH central office’s Bureau of Design prepared.
A soil test was also conducted by DPWH’s hired consultant, United Technologies Consolidated Partnership, he added.
“Sino po ba may kasalanan? Wala kaming sinabi na may kasalanan dito, sabi nga namin sinunod naman ‘yong plano, mayroong basis ‘yong geotechnical noong una, so wala akong masasabi diyan,” said Bernardo.
He added: “Hindi namin maipaliwanag eh. Ang amin na lang we are giving a solution to the problem.”
DPWH’s Region 6 office is just as evasive.
“We don’t know who is responsible or accountable. Ang ating priority ngayon is to look for solutions to address the problem,” said Regional Director Nerie Bueno.
Engr. Adam Abinales, managing partner of Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants, could not explain why, despite the soil test before construction and following the design, the settlement still occurred.
“Mayroon naman talagang pinagbasehan pero hindi ko alam kung ano ang nagyayari… hindi ko alam, nasunod naman, ginawa ng contractor, may plano eh,” said Abinales./PN
