ILOILO City – Imagine going to the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo from here in just 20 minutes.
Impossible?
Not so, very soon.
At present, travel time from this city to the airport in Cabatuan which is 24 kilometers away is around 40 to 45 minutes.
But before Aug. 5, the P680-million flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo may already open to traffic, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6.
This will reduce the travel time to the airport to some 20 minutes only, according to Regional Director Tiburcio DL Canlas of DPWH-6.
The four-lane flyover is 453.7 lineal meters long on bored pile foundation, including the approaches.
Yesterday morning, a “topping out” ceremony was held.
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).
The construction of the Ungka II flyover started last January 2020. It 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) and also aims to decongest the area.
Ilonggo Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon who pushed for the flyover’s construction graced the topping out ceremony. He would have wanted the flyover finished before June 30, 2022.
“I am about to end my term. We launched this project with the goal of assuring the economic growth of our city. Iloilo is now the center of commerce, progress and sustainable development,” said Drilon.
“Talagang ‘yong expiry date (of the contract with contractor International Builders Corp.) is August 2022. So, ngayon pag-usapan namin kon paano ‘yong pagbubukas but I can assure you before the expiry date mabubuksan ‘yan,” said Regional Director Canlas.
One challenge DPWH-6 faces is the road right-of-way below the flyover.
“Ang right of way ang problema doon sa baba kasi ipa-pundo pa ‘yong cost or pagbayad or pagwasak sa mga bahay doon,” said Canlas.
Also present at the topping out yesterday were Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo province, Cong. Michael Gorriceta of Iloilo’s 2nd District, and Mayor Laurence Anthony Gorriceta of Pavia, Iloilo, among others./PN
