By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Mayor Luigi Gorriceta of Pavia, Iloilo criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways-Western Visayas (DPWH-6) for alleged safety lapses during the ongoing rectification works on the defective Ungka flyover, a nearly PHP1 billion project.
“We are very disappointed by the incident because of their lapse in the safety measures.
“They overlooked adding proper safety measures. It is their responsibility not to put the public at risk,” Gorriceta said in an interview Monday, Dec. 16.
His statement followed complaints from motorists about cement splattering onto vehicles while passing beneath the flyover, raising concerns over public safety.
DPWH-6 director Sanny Boy Oropel previously told Daily Guardian that the falling debris, described as “chip-ins” from mortar grout, came from work on load distribution mechanisms and expansion joints.
Oropel explained that protective nets were installed but acknowledged that some debris may have slipped through due to large holes in the mesh.
After the incident, Gorriceta expressed frustration that DPWH-6 had not reached out to the local government to discuss measures to protect the public.
“That is one thing why we are disappointed with the DPWH-6 because, based on their interviews, they are also in denial of the incident,” he added.
Gorriceta urged DPWH-6 to take accountability by addressing the complaints of affected motorists and compensating for any damages caused by falling debris.
“The DPWH must face those affected by the fallen debris and not deny the incident.
“They should provide insurance or shoulder the costs of vehicle damages.
“I am certain that such contingencies are part of the project cost,” the mayor emphasized.
He called on DPWH-6 to actively monitor the project instead of solely relying on the contractor, whose responsibilities may be limited to their scope of work.
Gorriceta also suggested that if safety measures cannot be guaranteed, the road beneath the flyover should be temporarily closed to traffic.
He noted that safety protocols may have been overlooked due to pressure to meet the Dec. 25 deadline for opening all four lanes of the flyover.
With the completion of the repairs approaching, Gorriceta stressed the need for DPWH-6 and the contractor to “double up their safety precautions.”
The mayor also criticized DPWH-6 for failing to provide daily updates on the progress of the repairs and missing previous deadlines, describing the situation as “disheartening.”
“Let’s pray for their fastest time to finish it and we can already use the flyover,” he said, expressing hope that the current repairs will be the final solution to the defective infrastructure.
