Philippines
Metro Manila
Construction of new Muntinlupa-San Pedro bridge to take 7 months
Construction of new Muntinlupa-San Pedro bridge to take 7 months
The construction of the new Muntinlupa-San Pedro, Laguna bridge will take about seven months.
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon convened a meeting about the construction of the bridge on Jan. 30.
The construction of the new bridge was supposed to start on Feb. 1 but was postponed due to permits and clearances that needed to be secured by the Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR), which will implement the project.
Biazon said during the meeting, representatives from the DPWH-NCR said the new bridge project is estimated to be completed in 210 calendar days or about seven months.
The duration is under ideal conditions but with the delay in the start of the project, it may go beyond seven months considering the onset of the rainy season .
The start of the construction of the new bridge was postponed as the DPWH-NCR needed to secure permits and clearances from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the local governments of Muntinlupa and San Pedro.
“Napagdesisyunan ito kaugnay ng request ng DPWH NCR na i-move muna ang target start to a later date. Kailangan pang mag-secure ng DPWH-NCR ng mga kaukulang permits at clearances mula sa National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), MMDA, at Muntinlupa at San Pedro LGUs, bago tuluyang simulan ang proyekto (This decision was made in response to the DPWH NCR’s request to move the target start to a later date. DPWH-NCR still needs to secure the necessary permits and clearances from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), MMDA, and Muntinlupa and San Pedro LGUs, before the project can be fully commenced),” Biazon announced on Facebook.
During the meeting attended by representatives from the DPWH-NCR and the San Pedro and Muntinlupa local governments, Biazon said concerns were raised, including flooding and water flow under the bridge.
“Ang mga ito ay ire-refer sa DPWH NCR Planning Division at pag-aaralan pa, kasama ang posibleng consultation sa mga apektadong komunidad at ang pagsasagawa ng simulation sa ipatutupad na traffic management plan (These will be referred to the DPWH NCR Planning Division for further study, including possible consultation with affected communities and conducting a simulation of the traffic management plan to be implemented),” said Biazon.
He added, “Mas mahalaga sa atin na maayos at handa ang lahat bago magsimula ang project, kaysa magdulot ng hindi inaasahang abala sa ating mga kababayan (It is more important for us to have everything in order and ready before the project begins, than to cause unexpected inconvenience to our countrymen).”
Regarding the NHCP clearance, the San Pedro City Tourism, Culture and Arts Office cited Republic Act No. 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009).
Under the law, structures dating at least 50 years old are considered “important cultural property, unless declared otherwise by the pertinent cultural agency.”
The tourism office said the project contractor needs to get clearance from the NHCP since the bridge is estimated to be more than 50 years old.
“Maari ring maapektuhan ng proyekto ang Old Laguna-Rizal Provincial Marker na nakatayo sa Barangay San Antonio. Ang nasabing marker, na pinaniniwalaang itinayo noong 1967, ay naka-lista sa San Pedro City Local Cultural Inventory (The project may also affect the Old Laguna-Rizal Provincial Marker located in Barangay San Antonio. The said marker, believed to have been built in 1967, is listed in the San Pedro City Local Cultural Inventory),” the office said.
There are two boundary markers at the Muntinlupa-San Pedro bridge.
