MMDA wants DPWH to probe Pasay girder accident

MANILA, Philippines - Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Francis Tolentino wants the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to probe the bridge girder launcher accident at the NAIA Expressway project along Andrews Avenue in Pasay City which created monstrous traffic jams in the area on Monday afternoon.

“Dalawang anggulo ang tinitignan niyan eh. Sabi may mechanical failure pero kita niyo naman bago yung girder launcher, pangalawa baka human error. Yung nakasakay dun yung operator. Malamang mechanical error kasi isinwitch off na daw yung engine ay umandar pa so yun ang tinitignan na anggulo. pero ang usapan kasi dito walang trabaho sa araw. Dapat sa gabi,” Tolentino said.

MMDA Traffic Engineering Center (TEC) head, engineer Noemi Recio, said that although construction work on the four–lane elevated expressway (7.15 kilometer long) NAIA (Ninoy Aquno International Airport) Expressway is on a 24-hour schedule, any work involving the use of bridge girder launchers are only to be done between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Tolentino said a supervisor from the construction unit of DMCI Holdings which is the contractor of the project informed the MMDA that the girder launcher was only being “prepositioned” for the work to be done later in the evening when it fell at 3:32 pm. crushing eight vehicles underneath.

“Sagot naman ng supervisor ay pinepreposition lang, hinahanda para sa trabaho sa gabi so malalaman natinyan kung anong katotohanan. Ngayon ang instruction ko, wala munang galawan sa area ng walang coordination sa MMDA traffic,” he said.

Tolentino said work on the NAIA Expressway would still continue. However there would be no work at the accident site unless there is prior coordination with the MMDA.

“'Yung construction tuloy tuloy 'yun, pero 'yung accident site itong girder wag munang gagalawin ng walang coordination sa amin, kasi nakakacause ito ng traffic lalo na bukas may simba sa Baclaran at makakaapekto ito sa daloy ng trapiko,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino, who inspected the accident, was surprised to find out that the girder had not been removed by the DPWH.

“Dapat binaba na ito ng alas 3 ng umaga eh, ewan ko kung bakit hanggang ngayon hindi nababa kagabi,” he said.

Tolentino said the girder should be removed early in the morning as not to cause heavy traffic in the area. He said the DPWH still has to inform the MMDA when the broken girder will removed from the site.

“Wala pang abiso sa akin. Kapag nagpaabiso sila sa amn, we will supply them with cranes.  Dapat medaling araw ito alisin, kasi bukas may simba sa Baclaran,” he said.

Tolentino also advised motorists to bear with extended heavy traffic in the area as the work on the NAIA Expressway could be delayed by one month as the broken girder launcher needs a new engine. The expressway is set to be opened to motorists by October in time for Manila’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting on Nov. 18-19, 2015.

“Ang opening dapat nito ay October pero dahil itong girder ay nasira mukhang hndi na jnila gagamitin ito kasi kahit palitan yung makina, liko na eh, hindi na nakaalign kailangan mag import pa ng isang ganyan. Baka madelay 'yung construction nito, pero sana huwag kasi hinahabol natin yung sa APEC,” he said.

Once completed, the NAIA Expressway will run from the Metro Manila Skyway to Andrews Avenue near the NAIA Terminal 3. The elevated expressway project is divided into four packages and is touted as the first airport expressway in the country. Construction of the project began last January 2.