ILOILO – After years of delay, ridicule, and growing public anger, the controversial Aganan Flyover in Pavia is finally set for completion, if the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were to be believed.
Assistant Regional Director Jose Al Fruto confirmed that P285 million has been included in the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to fund the rectification and finishing works of the stalled project.
He assured the Sangguniang Bayan of Pavia yesterday that construction will resume in the first quarter of 2026 — either February or March — once critical foundation strengthening is carried out through intensive jet grouting.
“If we start with February 2026, we have an estimated time duration that leads us to the completion of all, including the foundation works and remaining civil works, by the first quarter of 2027. (But) earlier I also said that if we can reduce the construction period, that we can open the Aganan Flyover by December, at the end of the year 2026,” Fruto said.
Suspension of works at the Aganan Flyover in October 2022 stemmed from flaws similar to that of the nearby Ungka Flyover. But this has caused traffic congestion in Barangay Aganan, especially during rush hours in the early morning and late afternoon to early evening.
“The Ungka Flyover experienced vertical displacement. We could not risk continuing the work at the Aganan Flyover without further study. Both flyovers are along the same road, and both had the same design origins. That is why we conducted confirmatory boring, and later hired a third-party independent consultant to validate the results,” said Fruto.
The DPWH consultant’s findings were damning: Aganan Flyover foundation’s bored piles were more than 20 meters too short to hit the hard strata of the soil.
“The findings were very clear: the foundation was insufficient. That’s why jet grouting is necessary to stabilize the soil and strengthen the piles. We cannot proceed without ensuring safety,” Fruto said.
The Aganan Flyover has cost taxpayers P802 million so far, with P307.7 million remaining unspent after the project was halted, and another P15.3 million already used for soil geotechnical exploration and consultancy.
“The amount of P285 million is already in the NEP (National Expenditure Program) 2026. Once it is appropriated, we can immediately move forward with the work,” Fruto said, stressing: “Our commitment is to finish the Aganan Flyover once and for all.”
Local leaders, however, say people are still waiting to see results. “Last August 8, when Sen. Loren Legarda came over, I personally asked for her help. I told her this project has dragged on for five to six years. The council is doing everything to request support and push for its completion. We hope this time it will truly be finished,” said Vice Mayor Bibo Gerochi.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. also pressed DPWH to deliver: “I’ve been following the process and the status of our infrastructure because we want it hastened. We join any call to fast-track the implementation and completion. The important thing is that they do it properly, and now that there is a budget, it can finally be finished.”
Fruto admitted the project has become a “source of anger and ridicule” but said DPWH is determined to restore public trust.
“With the budget already lined up in NEP 2026, we will push through. Safety and quality come first,” he assured.
The Aganan Flyover, being built by contractor International Builders Corporation (IBC), started in 2020 with an original target completion date of June 2023.
It is intended to improve traffic flow and ease congestion at the intersection of the President Corazon C. Aquino Avenue (going to the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan town or going to Iloilo City) and the Felix Gorriceta Jr. Avenue./PN
