ILOILO City – A massive underground pipe replacement project meant to secure Iloilo City’s long-term water supply is now causing a different kind of crisis: traffic gridlock.
With only 28 percent of the city currently served by an aging water supply system, water distributor Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) has begun the replacement of decades-old pipelines — some dating back to the American and Japanese eras, according to city officials.
But motorists, commuters, and businesses say the ongoing works are wreaking havoc on daily mobility, particularly on key roads where lane closures and sluggish construction pace are common sights.
“The problem isn’t just the old pipelines — it’s also about how the project is being managed,” said Mayor Raisa Treñas, acknowledging the public frustration. “Some of those pipes haven’t been replaced since the time of the Americans and Japanese. That’s how outdated they are.”
The mayor stressed that while the pipe upgrades are essential, the lack of coordination and real-time information has worsened public inconvenience.
“We will call on Metro Pacific Iloilo Water to discuss how they can speed up the work,” Treñas said. “We will form a team to monitor the progress of the project and ensure there is proper coordination with our Public Information Office and traffic management teams. We need to improve information dissemination so people know where and when roadworks will happen.”
Online, commuters are voicing growing exasperation. Jeepney drivers have rerouted trips to avoid gridlocked construction zones, while delivery riders and office workers report doubling travel times.
Business owners in affected districts, meanwhile, say foot traffic has sharply dropped as access to stores becomes limited.
City Hall is expected to release updated traffic rerouting advisories and enforce tighter coordination with MPIW contractors.
The city’s traffic enforcement unit has also been ordered to keep close watch on construction-heavy roads and relay any delays to concerned agencies.
While the project is projected to continue for several more months, Treñas assured residents that “adjustments are on the way” to minimize the burden on the public and keep both infrastructure progress and urban mobility on track./PN
