MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Monday stressed that human error was the cause of the collapse of a flyover in Imus, Cavite, denying claims that substandard materials were used for the project.
“We don’t use substandard materials. Everything has passed the test. It was human error that caused it to collapse. In the DPWH, we can assure you that we follow the national standard, we are also following US standards,” DPWH Region 4-A Assistant Regional Director Yolanda Tangco said in an interview.
Tangco explained that the contractor is installing the sixth girder of the structure when it lodged the dowel that caused it to collapse.
“At around 11 p.m. (Saturday) – 12 midnight (Sunday) while our contractor is installing prefab girders, sixth of the eighth on Aguinaldo flyover, unluckily, it lodged the dowel causing it to give way, creating a domino effect causing everything to crumple,” she said.
The DPWH official added, “When it collapsed, it broke into pieces. The contractor has to create another. They will have to fabricate at their own expense.”
At the same time, Tangco is hoping that the project, with a total cost of PHP254 million, will be finished by the end of December. It is now 70 percent complete.
It aims to decongest the area and for faster mobility of people and goods.
The construction started on March 2016. It measures 205 meter in length with a height of 40 meters.
The project’s contractor is JBL construction in joint venture with William Uy Corporation.
A part of the flyover being constructed along the Aguinaldo-Daang Hari Intersection collapsed late on Saturday, causing heavy traffic along the said thoroughfare.
No one was hurt in the incident. (PNA)
