• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Bacolod City officials have defended the P3.4-million renovation of the footbridge connecting barangays 35 and Singcang-Airport amid allegations in the social media that the project was overpriced.
Mayor Greg Gasataya urged residents to physically inspect the newly-repaired structure connecting Purok Maghiliugyon and Purok 5 in Magsungay, rather than rely solely on photos posted online.
“I suggest visiting the project site in person. Relying solely on photos, you might not see the entirety of the project. It’s best to see it for yourselves and compare it to how damaged the structure was before,” he said.
Gasataya noted that all estimates were made by the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) and the project underwent a bidding.
“We’re willing to provide everything, the details, the program of work, the materials that were used, we are very transparent, the mayor added.
The funding was allocated through then-Mayor Albee Benitez, and the project was implemented under Gasataya’s administration, through the CEO headed by Engr. Loben Rafael Ceballos.
Meanwhile, Councilor Caesar Distrito characterized the negative claims as political troll attacks, even as he explained that the intervention was necessary to correct severe structural hazards threatening the safety of pedestrians.
He said the original footbridge was on the verge of collapsing as the structure lacked center support columns, had severely-rusted reinforcement bars on its underside, and was missing handrails due to decay and theft.
He said that intervention was urgently required to address severe structural risks that threatened daily commuters, particularly students attending nearby schools, such as Rizal Elementary School, ETCS 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the Negros Occidental High School.
“This was just ridden on by troll accounts, and the opposition immediately joined in clapping (in approval). If you think the city engineer’s estimate for this project is wrong, you should have entered the bidding since this was open to the public,” Distrito said in a post.
He added that the P3.4-million expenditure can be fully justified by the City Engineer’s Office, based on the extensive structural work required. | TMD
