ILOILO City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 6 has imposed a one-lane closure of the road below the Buhang Flyover in Barangay Buhang, Jaro district starting March 1 until March 7, as urgent road improvement works continue following earlier findings of cracks and falling concrete in the structure.
The affected portion involves the lane going toward the Coastal Road (Balabago, Jaro direction), prompting authorities to warn motorists of possible congestion in the area.
DPWH-6 said in a travel advisory that the temporary closure aims to give way to road improvement works covering approximately 74 meters.
“Motorists and the riding public may experience traffic disruptions within the affected area. Use of alternative routes is encouraged when necessary,” it added.
DPWH-6 appealed for the public’s “patience and understanding as we carry out these necessary improvements for everyone’s safety.”
The Buhang Flyover has been under repair since February 1 and is scheduled to remain closed until March 25.
The repairs stem from directives issued by DPWH secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon after inspections revealed cracks and falling cement in portions of the flyover.
The repair works are being undertaken by F. Gurrea Construction, Inc..
Dizon personally inspected the Buhang Flyover on January 19 during his visit to Iloilo, initially to check the Aganan Flyover in Pavia, Iloilo. After receiving reports of structural issues in Buhang, he expanded the inspection to include the Jaro structure.
“You have to fix this. What is the guarantee na it will not happen in the other segments? Kasi right now I’m looking nasa itaas, tinitingnan ko ngayon ‘yong ibang portion ng segment na ito nagkaka-crack na. So, you have to check all of these. When you will start repairing this?” Dizon told the contractor during the inspection.
He further suggested that the entire structure be subjected to assessment to determine whether other portions were compromised, in order to prevent repeated patchwork repairs.
Dizon also ordered the contractor to shoulder all repair costs, stressing that the DPWH would not spend “any centavo” for the corrective works./PN
