DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon (center) inspects the Buhang Flyover in Iloilo City on Monday. (Tara Yap)
ILOILO CITY – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered immediate repair on the two-year-old flyover in this city after cement started falling from its underside and cracks emerged.
“You have to fix this,” said Dizon when he called F. Gurrea Construction Inc., the contractor of the Buhang Flyover in Jaro District here while inspecting the P315-million flyover on Monday, Jan. 19.
“Safety is a major concern. What is the guarantee that it will not happen in the other segments? I’m looking up and there are cracks,” Dizon said.
Dizon said that the flyover would be fixed by F. Gurrea Construction Inc. at no cost to the government.
He also disclosed that the contractor can start repair works right after the highlight of the Dinagyang Festival on Jan. 25.
The Buhang Flyover is another infrastructure project lobbied by former Senate President Franklin Drilon before retiring from politics in 2022.
The Buhang Flyover was meant to decongest traffic on the Iloilo Circumferential Road, a major thoroughfare for large trucks. Not only there were cracks on the Bhuang Flyover but adjacent roads are heavily damaged with large potholes.
Dizon was in the province and city of Iloilo on Monday to inspect controversial projects that the Marcos administration are prioritizing to fix.
Before inspecting the Buhang Flyover, Dizon also inspected the unfinished P802-million Aganan Flyover in Pavia town.