MMDA explains ‘floating’ column on EDSA-Roxas Blvd footbridge

This photo shows the completed column of a footbridge along EDSA-Roxas Boulevard. The MMDA noted that social media posts have surfaced showing an overhanging column of the footbridge, which it said was part of the construction process. Photo courtesy of MMDA

MANILA, Philippines — There is no need for the public to worry about social media posts of a footbridge along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue-Roxas Boulevard with a column that appeared supposedly floating since the appearance of the column is part of the construction process, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Wednesday.

MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said the agency saw a social media post bearing pictures of the footbridge as early as the first week of July. However, she said civil works at the footbridge were completed on July 31.

“Walang dapat ipag-alala doon dahil meron namang temporary bracing, So what they posted is part of the process. Hindi pa ‘yun tapos nung time na ‘yun,” she said in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net., adding that the footbridge was not yet open to the public at that time.

(There is no need to worry about that because there is a temporary bracing. So what they posted is part of the process. It was not yet finished at that time.)

“Nakaangat ‘yung column, normal na naka-angat muna ‘yun kasi kinukuha ‘yung tamang alignment dahil huhukayin ‘yun (ground). So while doing the measurement, naka-temporary bracing, and that is part of the process,” she added.

(The column is overhanging. That is normal because we were still getting the correct alignment. So while doing the measurement, there is a temporary bracing and that is part of the process… There is no need to worry about that because there is a temporary bracing.)

Pialago explained that the bracing was the steel that was attached near the column to temporarily support the footbridge.

She said the MMDA has already contacted the netizen who made the initial social media post as it had sowed fear among the public. The netizen had since deleted the post.

However, similar photos circulated again on social media, which Pialago identified as the same footbridge. [ac]

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