ILOILO City – After years of delays and costly rectifications, the long-troubled Ungka Flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo is finally nearing full completion.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 assured that all remaining civil works will be completed by March 30, bringing closure to a project that has frustrated motorists and commuters alike.
DPWH-6 regional director Engr. Sanny Boy Oropel confirmed that the contractor, International Builders Corporation (IBC), is in the final stages of clearing operations beneath the flyover, which includes road patching and removal of shoring in preparation for asphalt overlaying next week.
“We are on track. By the end of March, all minor works on the superstructure will be completed. Definitely, Ungka Flyover will be fully completed by March 30,” Oropel told Panay News.
The flyover stretches from Barangay Ungka, Jaro, Iloilo City to Barangay Ungka II, Pavia. Straddling the major intersection of the Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue and President Corazon Aquino Avenue in Barangay Ungka III, it is meant to ease traffic congestion in this crucial point that leads in and out of Iloilo City.
The remaining works include installing aluminum cladding on the parapet walls — part of the architectural design meant to enhance the flyover’s aesthetics.
The aluminum cladding is still being fabricated but is expected to be installed within a week once ready, Oropel said.
Traffic Flow Improves After Full Opening
Since the flyover was opened to its full capacity on December 23, 2024 even while repair works were ongoing, DPWH claims significant easing of traffic congestion in the area, particularly during rush hours.
“We conducted a traffic count the next day. We saw a noticeable improvement — traffic congestion beneath the flyover was minimized, and vehicles flowed freely across all four lanes,” Oropel said.
However, restrictions remain in place, with certain vehicles — such as dump trucks, transit mixers, wing vans, trailer trucks, motorcycles, tricycles, and bicycles — still prohibited from using the flyover.
A Costly and Troubled Project
The 453.7-meter, four-lane flyover was originally constructed with a budget of P680 million, starting in January 2020.
It opened to traffic in September 2022, only to be shut down just two weeks later due to structural issues, including vertical displacement and subsidence blamed on poor geotechnical study during the planning and design stage of the flyover project.
To address the subsidence, DPWH hired Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants for P15 million to conduct a geotechnical investigation. Their recommendation led to extensive rectification works, including jet grouting to stabilize the piers.
The rectification was carried out in two phases:
* Phase 1 involved a P95-million contract awarded to Monolithic Construction & Concrete Products, Inc.
* Phase 2, which included jet grouting for the remaining piers and the installation of geofoam in unstable sections, was awarded to IBC for P200 million.
In total, the government spent P990 million — P310 million more than the original budget — to ensure the flyover could finally be opened for full use./PN
