MANILA, Philippines – An official of the Department of Public Works and Highways yesterday said they ordered the halt of digging operations in one portion of the Magallanes Flyover at noontime yesterday after discovering that the structure’s foundation has been exposed and is unstable.
However, DPWH Undersecretary for Regional and District Operations Romeo Momo visited the site yesterday afternoon and personally checked on the condition of the Magallanes Flyover. He discovered that in one digging site, the stability of the overhead structure has been compromised.
“We decided to only temporarily halt the excavation in one section, about 10-15 meters, of the retaining wall of the Magallanes Flyover and not stop the entire digging operation that is being conducted by First Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC),” Momo said.
He said that in the affected section they noticed that the “foundation has been exposed. It is not stable since they removed the soil, the structure lost its natural foundation. We have to replace and reinforce that with either steel pipes or reinforce concrete to strengthen the foundation.”
It might take a day before the contractor hired by FPIC completes the corrective measures.
Momo also downplayed fears that the exposed foundation along the retaining wall of the southbound approach would place the 35-year-old flyover in danger of collapsing. “There is no alarm.”
DPWH-National Capital Region (NCR) regional director Reynaldo Tagudando added that, “As of now, there had been no signs of cracks on the structure that would lead to its collapse.” He also assured the public that the DPWH is closely monitoring the progress of the ongoing road diggings to ensure that the flyover is structurally sound and the motorists using the flyover would be safe.
There have been apprehensions that the continued road diggings along Magallanes Flyover, which has been going on for about two weeks, might weaken the retaining wall that supports the southbound ramp.