DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The city government of Zamboanga immediately repaired the wooden stilt bridge in Rio Hondo, Mariki, after it collapsed while two congressmen, Zamboanga Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazar and other government officials plunged into the murky sea water Friday morning.
In her Faceboook post, Climaco-Salazar stated, she returned to “Hong Kong, Rio Hondo, Saturday afternoon, April 27, 2018 to check on the repair made on the ill-fated wooden foot bridge, which forms part of the Z3R program undertaken by the National Housing Authority (NHA).”
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Climaco-Salazar stated the repair, initiated by the CEO and CDRRMO upon her instruction, as ” A temporary measure is to ensure mobility and accessibility of residents in the area. The City Government has requested the Congressional Committee led by Cong. Benitez for a thorough investigation. And will pursue justice to penalyze those responsible. The NHA has been tasked by Cong. Albee Benitez to reconstruct a concrete footbridge not wooden to prevent similar accidents in the future.”
The bridge collapsed just when the Benitez Committee in Congress was about to inspect the reported substandard housing projects intended for the survivors of the 2013 Zamboanga Siege.
The wooden stilt bridge was constructed three years ago, and it has been exposed all types of weather, which according to some engineers could have caused the fast dilapidation of the wooden materials.
Residents of the House on Stilt have been complaining on the lack of water and enough power supply.
Despite the lack of the basic necessities for a shelter, the survivors occupied their houses as they run the risk of having no house at all, should they refuse the government offer.
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The housing projects which costs over a billion was initiated by then President Benigno Aquino III and implemented by the National Housing Authority (NHA) is a picture of a failed government promise but people in the area endured because they don’t have any choice. –Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph
