BACOLOD City — Mayor Greg Gasataya has challenged engineers to personally inspect and assess the city’s P3.7-million footbridge connecting Barangays 35 and Singcang-Airport, following questions raised online about the project’s cost.
Gasataya issued the challenge after a post featuring the 50-meter footbridge went viral on social media, prompting public discussion over the amount spent for the project.
“I challenge all the engineers to come and see the project themselves and evaluate and assess it,” Gasataya said.
The mayor said the city government followed the proper process in implementing the project and relied on the technical expertise and recommendations of the City Engineer’s Office (CEO).
Rather than drawing conclusions based solely on photographs or social media posts, Gasataya urged engineers to visit the site and evaluate the structure, materials, construction methods and other technical aspects of the project.
He also pointed to the condition of the old footbridge, which had raised safety concerns among residents who regularly used the crossing.
The rehabilitation and improvement of the footbridge started in March 2026 and was completed in August.
Before the project, residents were using an old footbridge that was reportedly made partly of bamboo. Local residents said the structure would shake whenever people crossed it, raising concerns about its stability and safety.
Joel Abkilan, president of Purok Tahong in Barangay Singcang-Airport, said residents welcomed the rehabilitation because the old footbridge had become unsafe for pedestrians.
Abkilan also said he believed the P3.7-million budget was reasonable considering the prevailing costs of construction materials and labor.
Singcang-Airport Barangay Captain Rosinie Distrito likewise expressed appreciation to the city government for completing the project.
Distrito said the barangay had requested the rehabilitation of the footbridge as early as 2024, during the administration of former Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who is now the city’s congressman.
The project was allocated funding in 2025 and eventually implemented under Gasataya’s administration.
Distrito said the improved footbridge would benefit thousands of residents who regularly use the route between the two barangays.
The new structure provides a more stable passage and may also help ease traffic on other roads in the area.
Unlike the old crossing, the new footbridge can accommodate motorcycles, giving residents another route between the two communities.
While residents and local officials welcomed the completed project, its P3.7-million cost has continued to draw attention online.
Gasataya maintained that the project should be assessed based on its technical specifications and actual construction, rather than social media commentary.
He reiterated that the city government relied on the CEO for the project’s technical requirements and recommendations and maintained that the appropriate procedures were followed in its implementation./PN
