ILOILO City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) gave evasive answers when asked who should be held accountable for the defective P680-million Ungka flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo.
Undersecretary Roberto R. Bernardo said they are, at the moment, focused on applying engineering interventions and not on looking for who to blame.
Third-party consulting firm Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants, which DPWH tapped to conduct a geotechnical audit of the flyover, found not just three piers sinking but all of the 16 piers, including two abutments, although in varying degrees.
Bernardo said the project contractor, International Builders Corporation (IBC), followed the design of the flyover that DPWH central office’s Bureau of Design (BOD) prepared.
A soil test was also conducted by DPWH’s hired consultant, United Technologies Consolidated Partnership, he added.
“Sino po ba may kasalanan? Wala kaming sinabi na may kasalanan dito, sabi nga namin sinunod naman ‘yong plano, mayroong basis ‘yong geotechnical noong una, so wala akong masasabi diyan,” said Bernardo.
He added: “Hindi namin maipaliwanag eh. Ang amin na lang we are giving a solution to the problem.”
DPWH’s Region 6 office is just as evasive.
“We don’t know who is responsible or accountable. Ang ating priority ngayon is to look for solutions to address the problem,” said Regional Director Nerie Bueno.
Engr. Adam Abinales, managing partner of Abinales Associates Engineers + Consultants, could not explain why, despite the soil test before construction and following the design, the settlement still occurred.
“Mayroon naman talagang pinagbasehan pero hindi ko alam kung ano ang nagyayari… hindi ko alam, nasunod naman, ginawa ng contractor, may plano eh,” said Abinales.
To avoid similar mistakes, he suggested: “Sa akin siguro ‘yong masunod ‘yong tamang proseso sa design, lahat i-konsidera para masiguro natin na ma-i-design at ma-i-construct ng tama.”
According to Abinales, when constructing a large structure or even a small house with a large area, a geotechnical investigation is necessary to determine the type of soil and its load capacity.
The third-party consulting firm drilled holes in all of Ungka flyover’s 16 piers up to 50 to 55 meters; it found that the soil, mostly of sand and clay, is soft.
“Sa aming investigation, hindi pa namin naabot ‘yong hard strata, up to 55 meters hindi pa rin matigas pero kung ano man ‘yong nakuhang data para doon sa 55 meters ‘yon ang gagamitin ko para sa rectification,” said Abinales.
On his part, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas said it is not the job of the Infrastructure Development Committee (IDC) of the Regional Development Council to determine who should be held liable.
“As I’ve said, we are not a fault-finding agency; more so, I’m not an engineer; I’m a lawyer,” said Treñas who chairs the IDC.
He added: “Ang aton concern nga mapadasig ta bala kay, ti, kaluluoy sang mga pumoluyo.”/PN
