Ombudsman-look on Janiuay bridge gets P5 M DPWH rehab fund
A "Request for Assistance" in Janiuay, Iloilo made before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas involving the "dangerous bridge" here was finally resolved. And for the municipal officials concerned, it is both good news and bad news yet altogether considered "the people's victory."
Good news because of immediate rehabilitation efforts and bad news, because of yet another confirmation that damage here was indeed brought by massive quarrying. "People's victory" because government intervention was realized through the anti-graft body.
At the center of the issue was the historic Suage Bridge in Barangay Jibolo. Built by Japanese forces during the World War II, it stands as the one and only passage of all commuters to and from central Iloilo. Conservative estimate is placed to at least 2,000 in private and public transport passing through the bridge daily. The buses of the national government's "Strong Republic Nautical Highway" program are some of the regular sights here and ten-wheeler trucks too with heavy load particularly during milling season.
For months now local officials appealed for national government's intervention and assistance with the bridge feared to collapse due to massive quarrying activities in the area.
The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas took notice of the concern in December and sent a fact-finding team to validate the concerns.
Among those verified by the anti-graft body was the regularity of issuance of quarry permits alongside questions thrown at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The DPWH through Regional Director Rolando Asis has since sought for reassessment of all quarry permits issued by the Capitol. Further still was the department's request for revocation and cancellation of those within the one kilometer-distance.
"The PENR officer however in a letter dated 21 November 2007 stated that our request for reassessment of quarry permits issued is rendered superfluous and furnished us a copy of the report of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MPMT) of the Province dated October 22, 2007," Director Asis wrote the Ombudsman. "In said report, one of the conclusions given is that the cause of scouring is attributed to the strong water action deflected to the piers by the spur dike which were originally constructed aimed to prevent scouring of river banks and approach of the bridge."
Yesterday no less than Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol spoke with Mayor Ben Margarico with the DPWH letter furnished to the said mayor.
Serving as "highlight" of the DPWH letter was the notification to the Ombudsman of rehabilitation funds amounting to P5 million. Such on top of the repairs done by providing protection on the bridge's foundation.
"Per investigation conducted by the Iloilo 2nd Engineering District, it was established that the top of the foundation piles of the piers were originally about one (1) meter below the river bed. While it is true that the issuance of quarry permits did not violate any provision of law, it is obvious that the result of the scouring is due to massive quarrying," DPWH Regional Director Rolando Asis wrote Ombudsman Director Virginia Palanca-Santiago. "This CY 2008, an amount of P5.0 Million is earmarked for the repair of said bridge under the flood control and drainage funds."
Reached for reaction, Mayor Margarico told The News Today (TNT) that he is most grateful for the Ombudsman intervention that ultimately got concrete government action. Yet the fight is far from over, he added, saying the ultimate goal of the town is for the 5-year moratorium on downstream quarrying here.
"We are very grateful for the P5 million that will go to the bridge's repair. Now we want to protect this as well and make sure that quarrying activities downstream will not cause its destruction in the future. The moratorium will also ensure rehabilitation of the Suage river and its resources," Mayor Margarico ended.