Bridge to Nowhere [An Update on The Gray Elephant]

Last September 28, 2013, I wrote a blog post about the unfinished and abandoned  bailey bridge which would have linked Bgy. Poonbato in Loob Bunga Resettlement Area [all in Botolan, Zambales], to the main access road.  Had it been completed, the bridge would have cut the travel distance between Bgy. Poonbato and its neighboring barangays and the Botolan town proper by as much as three kilometers. Likewise, it will also address the possibility of accidents, when people cross the river because of an unfinished bridge. 

Unfortunately, just as many of you suspected, the bridge was one of those bridge to nowhere projects of the past administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the DPWH.  This was the information I gathered from no less than our hardworking Congresswoman, Hon. Ching Deloso-Montalla. Actually, after writing the first blog post, I shared or sent copies of it to our Provincial LGU officials.  As I've written in the original blog, "I had no intention to go ghost-hunting."  My purpose for writing this blog post was to inform the present dispensation about  the abandoned infrastructure project with the hope of getting their attention and make them move to finish it. 

Out of the several officials given the courtesy copies, only Cong. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla or Madam Ching as I fondly call her, answered the call. Since I want to be precise in conveying to you this interesting information, I chose to publish here our exact exchanges in Facebook, to wit:

 https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.d.montalla/media_set?set=a.10200133287209560.1073741870.1672121202&type=1&comment_id=4608221&notif_t=like

Jun T. Ditona "Madam Ching, I understand and fully appreciate the wisdom and your noble purpose for giving schools the lion’s share of your attention. I wish though, that you give this abandoned bailey bridge even a fraction of your time. I’m afraid millions of taxpayers’ money may have been both poured directly and waylaid intentionally to and from this project. Letting it rot and gone to the hands of “hungry scavengers” is to me, a wanton waste of precious resources and a total disregard for the welfare of the people and communities who are bound to benefit from it.

Sana po Ma’m Ching alayan mo man lang ito ng , KAHIT KONTING PAGTINGIN."

Cheryl Deloso Montalla "Kuya Jun, this abandoned bridge is actually part of the "BRIDGE TO NOWHERE" project during the past administration under the DPWH and President bridge program. They have reported this as completed. [Note: This is part of the 111 Billion scam exposed by Senator Sergio Osmeña in the DPWH]. We have all the documents here. However, I have already addressed this and presented them in the Office of the President. They are currently arranging the funding for the completion of the approach for this bridge."

 Jun T. Ditona "Thanks Madam Ching. Nonetheless, I believe the Zambaleños, the people of Loob Bunga in particular, deserve to know the real score anent this project. Can I therefore have copies of the documents so I can present them in my follow-up blog post. With your permission I also want to quote this particular reply of yours in that mentioned sequel to the first "Gray Elephant" story. Please don't deny me this little opportunity of being able to convey to the people what you have been doing.

Cheryl Deloso Montalla "The project is under investigation Kuya. I can't release the documents although the proper authorities have copies. Actually, they have all the originals, ours pertain only to those "bridges to nowhere" in Zambales where we have no less than 10 scattered in the "hidden" parts of the province." [end of quote]

With this development I am optimistic that we will finally see the completion of this bailey bridge in the next few months. Thanks to Madam Ching who wasted no time bringing this matter to the attention of Malacañang. It is expected that this bridge, along with the livelihood plans of the municipal government laid down for Loob Bunga communities, will catapult the economic conditions of the eastern barangays resettled thereat, to a higher plain.  

Meanwhile, the rest of us might as well refrain from hurling unfounded and unfair accusations against anybody. It is fully understandable that the recent scandals and revelations unfolding before our very eyes can sometimes push our patience and resiliency to the limits. News about rampant corruption occurring within almost all parts of the government bureaucracy is indeed  sickening.  I for myself literally puked ['cause I almost crashed my dentures], while reading the news about how Janet Napoles et al, managed to withdraw Php500+M in two days.  They did this almost without sweat, despite of the stringent safeguards, auditing and disbursement procedures provided for by law.

However, as in this particular project, Madam Ching mentioned of an ongoing investigation.  It would be best therefore that we allow the investigative processes take its course.  It will not help if we continue to accuse even those who are newly elected of having a hand in those "not less than ten bridges to nowehere" projects here in Zambales, as mentioned by  Congresswoman  Deloso-Montala.

 This doesn't mean that we have to put down our guards now. Vigilance should be a continuing effort by the people.  It is our way of letting our officials know that their actions are now being guarded by an enlightened citizenry. Prudence however, dictates that we should not act as fault finders and ghost hunters.  For how can a community move forward if a majority of  its members are always there watching and blocking every plan and program of the government just because of unfounded suspicion. 

Giving negative comments and spreading gossips and lies just for the heck of it, and even without basis and valid evidence will only create chaos and anarchy. Whereas, a matured society which is ready to listen to its leaders while remaining cautious and vigilant in guarding their actions forms part of an effective layer of security against any evil designs or mischief being pondered  by any public official.  

This Gray Elephant

The building of this “gray elephant,” started sometime in December, 2011 and have been left untouched for almost two years now.  It can be found in Sitio Papaya [Rosaban] Bgy. Poonbato, Loob Bunga Resettlement Area, Botolan, Zambales. This would have eased access to and from Brgy. Poonbato as it crosses what seems to be a small river which easily turns deadly due to flash floods especially during heavy rains.

However, on its present stage, the bridge is useless and stands as a landmark of useless but costly government infrastructure projects. When nearby residents saw me taking pictures, they approached me and on condition of anonymity, volunteered some info regarding this idle and unfinished bridge. 

According to them, the project [construction of foundations and concrete landing] was started sometime on “Ber” months of 2011 [one of them asserted it was December], by a sub-contractor identified with a former mayor whose family is into construction business.  They could not ascertain if this was a DPWH [or other govt. agency] project since they could not recall seeing marked government vehicles during the progress of the construction of the bridge’s landing. 
                                                                                   

There was no billboard [or any “epal” sign] erected which would identify whose project was this.  All they could remember was hearing what a construction foreman said that, “this was a project of Senator Gringo Honasan.”  So much secretive atmosphere prevailed during the construction that according to my sources, “they just woke up one day in 2012, with the bridge’s steel spans already sitting on top of the the two concrete landings.”   I could not quite reconcile this information as it would normally take a heavy duty crane to lift those solid gray steel spans which is the main bridge.

Photo Ops

One “usi” [ususero or onlooker], volunteered that a few days after the erection of the main bridge, minus the finished landing, well dressed men in construction helmets came.  They climbed the bridge spans which were pre-asphalted and had a photo session. The group came with what appeared to the nearby residents as a professional photographer who was carrying a set of cameras which looked like more expensive than the handy cam I was carrying.  After that photo session, the bridge had been left untouched and unattended and exposed to various corrosive and harmful elements both natural and man made.
                                                                                                        On It's Way to Waste

As shown in the pictures, the river bank on the west landing of the bridge which used to run perpendicular with the structure is now gradually eroding.  Whereas before, according to the residents, that west end of the bridge touches the bank.  Now, the distance between the river bank and the bridge is around 6-8 meters owing to the erosion caused by flash floods. If no intervention is done, the danger of more erosion on the river bank remains possible which will make the bridge appear like a man made Steel Island in the middle of progressively widening river.  

The five pairs of I-beams which serve as the pillars of the concrete landing are already showing signs of corrosion.  I also noticed that those steel beams were not standing on concrete foundation.  This observation was confirmed by the kids who were playing near the foot of the bridge when they said; “Wala pong semento yan, ibinaon lang.”  Most of steel bars both at the west end and east side of the bridge which were purposely left protruding from the concrete foundation where additional concrete shall be attached later, were already gone, visibly cut by hacksaw.  The local residents said, “Kinakalakal po pag gabi.”

Paging Our LGU's

I don’t want to delve further on whose responsibility this unfinished construction should fall, lest I'd be accused of ghost hunting.  Neither do I want to dig dipper as to the veracity of some volunteered information that there were some local officials who unjustly gained out of this infrastructure project. I decided to bring this forward in my desire to call the attention of the present dispensation, both the municipal government of Botolan and the Zambales provincial government.  I also wonder whether our action lady Hon. Congresswoman Ching Deloso-Montalla of the 2nd District of Zambales can pull some strings to finish this valuable infrastructure.  

Let me add further my other observation anent the present condition of the nearby river banks.  The trajectory and terrain of the river running beneath this bridge produces fast and strong current during a flash flood.  With very little vegetation and no concrete riprap to hold the ground, chances are, in a few years time, this same river will swallow the adjacent plains.  I have seen a few cracks caused by erosion on the concrete pavement of the street which is the main road going to and from the Loob Bunga Resettlement area.  If no preemptive measures are done this early, we might once again end up seeing those “resettled eastern barangays” of  Botolan isolated.   

Bridging The Gap

As suggested by this blog's title, I intend to address a very important issue in my home province of Zambales.  An Issue which, like a cycle, come and go and have remained unnoticed, both by the citizenry and the government.  Though not intended, this often leads to misunderstanding, suspicions, accusations and denials and in most instances is the main culprit why acrimonious atmosphere between the government leaders and their constituents sometimes prevails. Apparently, even the barangay leaders who are supposed to be the main conduit between the government and the constituency, have failed to address this lingering problem.  Most of them are busy attending to various concerns other than having a constant dialog and interaction with their people.  This is the mission of this Blog.  To bridge the communication gap between the government and the people; to encourage the people to voice out their thoughts while promoting transparency and understanding about what our local government is doing for us.

Others might say, “Hey there’s no need for that. We have our Facebook and with those localized groups or pages, anybody can post his local concern.”  Of course, this may be partly true.  But Facebook was designed to be a social network.  Mark envisioned FB not as a public affairs and current events site but something where he and his friends can post friendly, funny or sometimes naughty messages.  FB may have evolved into something like “anything goes” lately, but issues which need to be addressed and deliberated upon requires a broader spectrum.

I for one have tried posting certain public interest concerns in FB.  It was interesting, inspiring at times.  But then I noticed,  such postings flood the group’s pages and, let’s face it, may come annoying to those who are not at all inclined to discuss such serious issues.  However, abandoning this interest is not the best answer to the problem of flooded FB pages.  There’s got to be a medium,  a place where we can discuss not only newsworthy concerns, but anything which may affect the lives of every Zambaleño. Whether it concerns our environment, peace and order, industry, agriculture, tourism, economics, et cetera, et cetera.  Anything which any ordinary Zambaleño on the street might wish to bring forward to the attention of our government.  But we’re not about to leave Facebook just like that.

I intend to link every blog post here with my FB account.  That way, only the link and a few comment will be posted in the FB page.  Those who might want to further expound on the blog post’s subject can follow the link and there, can join the debate or discussion.  I also intend to link all of my blog posts to the concerned government office through whatever link available on the net.  This blog will adopt the principles of fair and balanced journalism and shall forever adhere to the norms of decency and wholesome writing.