ILOILO CITY – Mayor Jerry Treñas has threatened to declare Secretary Manuel Bonoan of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as persona non grata over the alleged lack of formal update on the substandard Ungka II Flyover pet project of former Ilonggo Sen. Franklin Drilon in this city.
“If he does not want to give us an update, we can declare him as persona non grata,” Treñas warned.
Treñas met DPWH-6 (Western Visayas) Director Nerie Bueno on Tuesday, Jan. 10, to discuss concerns over the P680-million flyover closed to vehicular traffic since September after its structural integrity was questioned.
“You know, I’m an elected official. I’m not appointed. I can do what I want,” Treñas told Bueno during the meeting open to the media.
Bonoan is scheduled to come to Iloilo on Friday, Jan. 13, to personally inspect the Ungka II Flyover which straddles the boundary of this city and Pavia town in Iloilo province.
Drilon said that the flyover was built to ease traffic from this city to the Iloilo Airport.
However, the flyover’s four-month closure worsened traffic. Residents are bracing that traffic will further worsen in the upcoming highlight of the 2023 Dinagyang Festival on Jan. 21 to 22.
Last December, Treñas wrote to Bonoan about the status of the controversial project. But there was no definite response from the DPWH Secretary.
Bueno disclosed that the Ungka II Flyover might be opened to light vehicles for the upcoming Dinagyang weekend. However, the proposal is pending approval from the DPWH Bureau of Design.