By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The Department of Public Works and Highways Western Visayas (DPWH-6) warned that the driver of a modernized bus involved in the collapse of a vertical clearance gantry at the Ungka Flyover risks losing his license.
DPWH-6 Director Sanny Boy Oropel told Daily Guardian that they are waiting for the driver to surrender. He added that the department has not reached out to the driver, asserting that the agency bears no responsibility for the incident.
“If he reaches out to us, I will have his driver’s license confiscated since he violated our regulations,” Oropel said.
The DPWH-6 also plans to seek compensation for the damaged overhead gantry.
Penalties for the bus driver and the cooperative he is registered with will be determined by the Land Transportation Office, Oropel noted.
The incident occurred on Monday, December 2, when the bus, allegedly exceeding the flyover’s 2.3-meter height limit, struck the gantry while heading toward Pavia. The impact dislodged the signage, which fell and damaged the side mirror and door of a passing SUV.
The SUV driver has filed a police blotter, while the bus driver fled the scene and has not returned.
Oropel stressed that the DPWH should not be blamed for the incident, as it was caused by the bus driver’s non-compliance with height restrictions.
“The height limit is 2.3 meters. That vehicle passed without clearance from the DPWH, so why are we being blamed? It’s clearly his fault because he knew his vehicle exceeded the height limit,” he said.
The gantry, installed in September 2023 after the DPWH-6 announced the flyover’s reopening, was equipped with chain hoists to alert drivers of the height restriction. The flyover is currently limited to four-wheeled vehicles as it undergoes repairs for vertical displacement, or “sinking” of its piers.
Oropel confirmed that the gantry would be repaired by Monday to prevent further disruptions.
He urged the SUV driver to file a claim against the bus cooperative for damages and appealed to motorists to adhere to the flyover’s height limits to avoid accidents.
“While we repair the Ungka Flyover, we ask for the motorists’ understanding and cooperation,” he said.
The incident is the latest in a series of problems linked to the Ungka Flyover, which is undergoing extensive rectifications. Recently, drivers reported cement splattering onto their vehicles while passing beneath the structure.
Oropel clarified that the falling debris consisted of minor “chip-ins” from mortar grout used to install load distribution mechanisms and expansion joints during repairs. He assured the public that the issue is not a cause for alarm.
The DPWH-6 has set a target date of December 25, 2024, to fully reopen all four lanes of the flyover.
Oropel said the agency remains on track to meet this deadline.
