Some Filipinos earlier reported long cracks appearing along the Marikina Bridge where thousands of vehicles pass through daily.
These reports later reached the Marikina City government. The city government immediately ordered a portion of the bridge closed for the safety of motorists and pedestrians.
Reports said that the lane going to Cubao was the part that was temporarily closed for repairs.
A rerouting scheme was also implemented for motorists.
The deep cracks’ appearance
Photos that showed deep cracks along the major thoroughfare circulated on Facebook last week.
Facebook page Commuters of Metro Manila shared one of these photos with its followers on January 8.
This breakage on the sidewalk of the bridge later caused deep concern among social media users.
The Marikina Bridge connects the city to Quezon City and Rizal. Thousands of vehicles, including heavy cargo trucks, pass through here regularly.
In response to these concerns, the Marikina City Public Information Office stated that the local government conducted an investigation into the bridge cracks.
On January 6, it found that the cracks appeared in the same area as the construction project of the Sumulong Flood Interceptor of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the National Capital Region.
Marikina Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro thus immediately ordered an indefinite suspension of this project.
Teodoro also asked the DPWH-NCR to fix the structural damage caused by the construction activities in this area.
“Considering that we are duty bound to act on the welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Marikina, we are expecting the IMMEDIATE ACTION OF THE DPWH, otherwise we will be constrained to file necessary legal actions- CIVIL, CRIMINAL and/or ADMINISTRATIVE, if this matter will not be addressed promptly and accordingly,” Teodoro said.
The agency cited Section 16 of the Local Government Code, wherein:
“Every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied there from, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare.”
The Marikina City Public Information Office posted this information in separate Facebook posts on January 11.
Marikina’s PIO also posted images of the letter that Teodoro sent to DPWH-NCR for this move.
Causes of the cracks
In the letter, Teodoro detailed how the crevices appeared due to the interceptor construction.
“One of the representatives of the DPWH-NCR, Engineer S. Ramos and the contractor Amore Construction, has informed us that meter-long cracks appeared due to their non-stop pile driving activities for the pipe laying, coupled with continuous rain caused the scouring on the soil which loosened it,” the city chief executive said.
“This weakened the backfill foundation on the approach of the bridge,” he added.
The city government also said in the letter that such damage won’t be discovered if not for the residents who reported it.
Teodoro thus expressed his view of a “lack of coordination” between the DPWH-NCR and the Marikina LGU.
“There was an intent to hide it from the public view by placing coverings in the area,” he said.
The local official stressed the need for the agency to be transparent with them from then on.
“Considering that this is a public safety concern that can possibly endanger the safety of the public, immediate disclosure to the City Government of Marikina must be a priority so it can effectuate measures that would mitigate the effects of the said incident,” the letter reads.