ILOILO City – Pass a resolution requesting the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office to expedite the contract with a third-party consulting firm.
This was agreed during the recent high-level meeting of the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) and the Regional Development Council (RDC)-Infrastructure Committee.
The third-party consulting firm will conduct an independent geotechnical investigation to determine the cause of the vertical displacement in piers 4, 5, and 6 of the P680-million, four-lane Ungka flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo.
Marlon Jinon, chief of the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Region 6, said they agreed during the meeting at the NEDA-6 office on Monday afternoon, Dec. 19, that the RPMC will file a memorandum to be submitted to the RDC for the issuance of a resolution requesting the DPWH central office to fast-track the contract with the consulting firm.
A copy will be furnished to the Office of the President through the Presidential Management Staff and to concerned agencies like the DPWH and project contractor, International Builders Corporation (IBC).
As explained by Jinon, until the firm starts its investigation and audit of the project’s design, planning and implementation, they cannot determine the cause of the displacement and recommend suitable engineering interventions.
During the meeting, DPWH-6 assistant regional director, Engr. Jose Al Fruto, did not provide a specific timeline. It is the DPWH central office that is communicating with the firm, he explained.
“There is a commitment from DPWH nga padasigon nila pero as to the exact timeline, so far, wala pa sila may ginhatag sa aton; that’s the reason why the RDC will be issuing a resolution,” said Jinon.
However, Jinon said the firm already conducted an on-site check of the Ungka flyover on Dec. 13 to initially determine the specific technical scope of the geotechnical study to be conducted.
Aside from the resolution expediting the contract, RPMC also calls on the Iloilo City government, through the Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office, and the local government unit of Pavia to continuously join in the efforts to alleviate the traffic congestion in the Ungka area, such as by posting additional signage for alternate routes.
Also in attendance during the high-level meeting were NEDA-6 regional director Arecio A. Casing, Jr., Iloilo governor Arthur Defensor, Jr., Pavia mayor Luigi Gorriceta, Iloilo City councilor Ely Estante, Department of Interior and Local Government Region 6 assistant regional director Maria Calpiza J. Sardua, and representatives from the Department of Budget and Management Region 6, IBC, business groups, and the private sector.
The meeting was presided by Marisa Segovia, vice president of the Iloilo Business Club and co-chairperson of the RDC’s infrastructure committee./PN
