📸Councilor Jessica Bonguyan facebook page
DAVAO CITY – Growing public frustration over the stalled Ma-a Flyover Project has prompted Councilor Jessica Bonguyan to push for an immediate and formal investigation into the delay, citing its daily impact on commuters and lack of transparency in its implementation.
Speaking during the 21st Regular Session of the City Council last week Bonguyan, chair of the Committee on Public Works and Highways, used her privilege speech to highlight the urgency of the issue and called on relevant agencies to explain the prolonged delay.
Bonguyan emphasized that the unfinished flyover causes daily stress for Davaoeños, leading to heavy traffic and prolonged delays for people going to work, school, and other essential places.
“This project, which was meant to be a solution, has now become a source of daily stress and frustration for our community,” Bonguyan said, referring to a large tarpaulin placed at the construction site.
She said the people’s frustration reached a boiling point last weekend and posted a tarp, which blamed the project’s delay on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s administration.
While Bonguyan noted that the accuracy of the claim remains in question, she said the sign reflects the growing public fatigue and distrust over the project’s prolonged timeline.
The longer and more difficult engineering feat of Bucana Bridge which was started later than the Maa flyover had been accomplished thus raising the question why it is taking years for DPWH to finish the flyover.
“People are tired of the gridlock, the silence, and waiting for a project that seems to have no end in sight. It is not just a construction delay; it’s a public grievance. It demands truth, transparency, and action,” she said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways earlier clarified the matter in response to the circulating claims. It said in a statement that the alleged political issues involving the administration are misleading.
It also confirmed that the project has been fully funded since 2022 and that all funds necessary for its completion have already been released. According to the agency, civil works are currently at 82.5% completion.
DPWH noted that only minor “road right-of-way” issues remain, including acquiring four properties with existing mortgage lien complications. These are now under active coordination with the respective mortgagee banks.
It said the Davao Light and Power Company is set to relocate electric poles along the Monteritz side on August 3, while coordination with telecommunications providers to relocate their poles is ongoing.
DLPC had been blamed by DPWH. It cannot be explained why the power company failed to relocate their poles.
“We assure the public that the Maa-Magtuod Flyover Project remains a priority, and the Office continues to work toward its completion,” the DPWH said, encouraging the public to be vigilant against misinformation.
Bonguyan acknowledged the statement of the DPWH, as it highlights the critical need for clear communication on public projects. “When information is scarce, misinformation and frustration quickly fill the void.”
DPWH is quick to hit what it dubs as disinformation, however, motorists and riding public are aware of the long delayed infrastructure which had been dubbed as a monument of inefficiency of the agency.
The councilor urged the City Council to convene as a Committee of the Whole to formally inquire into the project’s status. She emphasized that the goal is not to blame anyone, but to improve coordination, provide regular updates, and ensure the project is finished quickly and safely. (By Ivy Tejano)
