Letter on flyover project finally reaches Bing
At last, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia already has a copy of a letter from Executive Director Emil Sadain of President's Bridge Program under the Department of Public Works and Highways.
But the said letter dated January 12, 2008 was not sent to his office or any of his officials but only given by Woodfields Consultants through Hector P. de Leus to City Administrator Rogelio Balo.
Earlier, it was an issue in Bacolod when the city got no update of the flyover project after it was silent for almost two years but Congressman Monico Puentevella announced that the construction will start soon this year.
Puentevella then said he received a letter dated January 12, 2009 from Sadain informing him that they are on the stage of designing, in which the project consultant, Woodfields Consultant Incorporated together with their employed geotechnical and material testing company, Geoscience Technologies Incorporated will be conducting soil/geotechnical investigation anytime as part of the design of the substructure.
The site is the junction of Northdrive-Lacson.
The mayor was surprised of the pronouncement because there were communications sent to Sadain since 2007 updating the project but not a single reply was sent back to the city.
Even in the letter of Sadain to Puentevella, the city was not included in the “copy furnished” except DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Regional Director Rolando Asis and District Engineer Norma Deloguines.
Yesterday, Balo furnished The News Today a copy of the letter addressed to Mayor Leonardia but he is wondering why it was not sent to his office officially.
Balo surmised that there was something on the letter, or something behind the letter, why it was not given to the mayor.
Sadain on the said communication respectfully informed the city with the forthcoming construction of Lacson Aquino Flyover (Northdrive) under the on-going "Mega Bridges for Urban and Rural Development Project" funded under the French government by the President's Bridge Program Office of DPWH.
Sadain requested for the possible assistance for the project consultant, Woodfields Consultants in conducting soil/geotechnical investigation.
"We would be glad to meet you and the city council for possible project presentation once the PBPO can already complete the detailed design plans, and to discuss among others the implementation arrangements, traffic management, and the relocation of overhead and underground utilities in the project area," the letter stated.