ILOILO City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 has reassured the public following photos circulated online showing a noticeable “hole” or sunken ground beneath the Ungka flyover in Barangay Ungka II, Pavia, Iloilo.
There is no cause for concern, insisted Engineer Sanny Boy Oropel, DPWH-6 director.
On the afternoon of October 30, netizen Markie Mac Decals Gayoma captured images of a significant hole in the road below the flyover, leading to various online reactions. Some speculated that ground movement may have occurred due to jet grouting activities on the flyover’s pillars.
Oropel explained that recent jet grouting work on the flyover’s support structures had caused vibrations, impacting nearby Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) pipelines, many of which are old and prone to damage.
According to Oropel, during MPIW’s backfilling to cover the area around their pipelines, the refilled soil may not have been properly compacted, resulting in the visible hole.
He promptly instructed the project engineer for the flyover to ensure the area was adequately filled, with support from contractor International Builders Corporation.
MPIW also released a statement on October 30, noting that based on their latest update from DPWH-6, no ground movement had been detected on the flyover segment where MPIW recently conducted a leak repair.
On October 18, the water company performed emergency repairs after the DPWH contractor accidentally damaged a 600mm water transmission line. Heavy rains reportedly caused the backfill material to subside.
MPIW confirmed that their operations team would assist DPWH’s contractor in completely refilling the excavated area on the evening of October 30, coordinating closely with DPWH for a quick and effective repair.
As of this report, DPWH-6 and MPIW have fully refilled the affected road section./PN