Flyover contractor given 2 weeks to finish repairs

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson has given the contractor doing repair work on the flyover at the corner of Buendia and Osmeña avenues in Makati City two weeks to finish the job at their own expense.

Singson said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was also studying the possible sanctions it would administer against Tokwing Construction after the initial repairs turned out to be substandard.

“Let them finish the work first, and then we’ll decide. They have two weeks—one week for each side,” Singson said.

“They have not been able to start because it rains in the evening. Hopefully, we’ll get clear weather and once the repairs start, we’ll need two weeks to finish it,” he added.

Singson earlier ordered Tokwing to remove and replace the asphalt overlay on the flyover, at the contractor’s own expense, after the asphalt used turned out to be substandard.

The public works department last week blacklisted two firms—Filipino Ready Mix Corp. and Pacific Concrete Products—that supposedly supplied the asphalt materials.

“Its cost would reach around P70 million to P80 million, including the repairs underneath the flyover. We had to strengthen the bridge itself,” Singson said.

The flyover was built in the 1970s.

“We are studying what sanctions to give but I don’t want to telegraph our actions,” Singson said.

The Inquirer tried to contact Tokwing owner Reynaldo Manalansan, but his staff said he was not in the office Tuesday.

“They were part of the contractors who were supposed to have been awarded negotiated contracts for the repair of public works damaged by typhoons ‘Ondoy’ and ‘Pepeng’ but these were canceled,” Singson said.

The DPWH earlier said the contractor had expressed willingness to abide with the order and undertake total rehabilitation of the flyover.

Singson also directed the tightening of quality control and assurance in the implementation of public works projects.

Contractors have to assure that their contracted projects are according to plans and specifications, he said, adding that they will be held responsible if defects are found within the warranty period.

“The DPWH will be very strict with them and their material suppliers to improve the quality of our infrastructure projects,” Singson said.