DPWH opens Orani Bridge to light vehicles

ORANI, Bataan – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) First District office formally announced yesterday that the controversial Orani Bridge comprising three barangays (village) will now be opened to light vehicles today (April 1) at exactly 10 a.m.

This was confirmed to the press by Orani Mayor Benjie Serrano, Jr. after a dialogue with DPWH officials led by Engr. Del Baluyot, Orani local officials led by Serrano, barangay officials and the transport sector held at the municipal council session hall yesterday (March 31).

Meanwhile, the agency said the bridge will be opened to buses and trucks and other large vehicles on April 30 to give way to the curing period of the approach portion that was recently finished in less than two weeks.

The project started last March 2014 and was scheduled to be finished on November 2014. However, due to the technical problems encountered by its contractor, the construction was halted due to the revisions of designs and piles and was approved by the DPWH Regional Office in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

Last year, the contractor of the P23 million bridge asked for a redesign of the infrastructure after the piles to be used as foundation reportedly hit an old hard lumber underground affecting the whole structure. Last week an additional budget of P9 million was allotted by the national government. “The approval of designs, bidding process and other technical documentations took months. We want to ensure public safety here and we hope the public will understand our situation,” Engr. Baluyot added.

The transportation sector and the commuters are reportedly the most affected. The detour route going to Balanga City is more than three kilometers resulting to additional fare which is still presently enforced. The public market vendors here also reportedly suffered decrease in their daily sales.

Earlier, several exasperated sectors warned the officials here that they will stage mass actions like rally and noise barrage to call the attention of the authorities to speed up the construction of the bridge but Mayor Serrano organized a peaceful public hearing with the different sectors including Engr. Enrico Yuzon, the provincial engineer, who represented Governor Albert Raymond Garcia which ultimately pacified the people.