Skyway (file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — The operator of the Skyway system on Thursday apologized to the public for the flooding on the at-grade or ground level in Bicutan, Parañaque City, due to heavy rain Wednesday afternoon, which resulted in gridlocked traffic.
Skyway O&M Corp (Somco) said the area has been flooded since 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12.
“These incidents were primarily due to a drainage system problem outside of the Skyway system, which we traced in February this year, due to ongoing construction works in the area that are unrelated to our operations and outside our direct control,” Somco said in a statement.
Somco assured the public that it is already in constant coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other government and private sector stakeholders to tackle the flood problem.
Somco said it has also lent equipment to help drain the flood faster and deployed maintenance personnel to siphon water off the road.
“One of the stakeholders in the area is also currently working on the portion of the affected drainage system within their property, with the contractor committing to finish the outfall this month.”
“We are hopeful that this corrective action will restore the smooth flow of floodwaters to the nearby creek and put an end to the flooding at Skyway At-Grade Bicutan, which has disrupted the traffic flow and greatly inconvenienced our riding public,” Somco said.
“Historically, this portion of the Skyway System has remained flood-free and we have consistently strived to maintain a smooth and reliable traffic flow for our valued users. Our maintenance teams conduct regular inspections at the drainage system to remove all obstructions such as sludge and garbage.” Somco pointed out.
In a traffic advisory as of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, heavy traffic was still monitored on both lanes of Bicutan ground level, stretching approximately 8.5 kilometers northbound and 6 kilometers southbound.