The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the rehabilitation of the Osmeña Flyover on Buendia in Makati will cost an additional P35 million because the work now covers the entire structure.

But not to worry, said DPWH-NCR Director Reynaldo Tagudando: the additional P35 million will come from the original contractor, Tokwing Construction, which means no additional cost to the government.

The original contract cost of the rehab project was P46.66 million.

DPWH officials said the contractor has to make the necessary corrective measures because the  asphalt applied there “deteriorated” only a few days after the flyover was opened to vehicular traffic last month.

DPWH Undersecretary Raul Asis said the DPWH suspended two of its engineers involved in the project and barred the contractor responsible for the hiring of the two firms that allegedly supplied substandard asphalt used on the flyover.

Suspended from handling projects were Marcos Garcia, laboratory inspector; and Engineer 2 Pedrito Famadico, both assigned at the DPWH-National Capital Region office.

The project contractor Tokwing Construction was also barred from entering into the public biddings of any DPWH project in the future.

Tagudando said Garcia and Famadico will be investigated. They were suspended after the discovery of the flaws in the flyover.

But Cesar Reyes, assistant vice president for construction at Pacific Concrete Products Inc. (PCPI), said the DPWH was partly to blame for the flaws.

He said the flyover was already paved with fiber reinforcement polymer (FRP) before it was covered with asphalt.

Reyes said the FRP, which was supplied by another company for P1.87 million, was neither useful nor appropriate for flyovers because they vibrate when big vehicles like trucks pass.

“The product specification of FRP provides that concrete slabs must have full contact to the base course, without allowing any movement,” he said.

Besides, Reyes said the FRP absorbs water when wet and, therefore, does not “bond” with asphalt. Reyes said neither the PCPI, a firm already blacklisted by the DPWH, nor Tokwing was informed by the department that the southbound lane was paved with FRP.

Filipino Ready Mix Corp., another asphalt supplier blacklisted by the DPWH and blamed for the failed project, had previously withdrawn its contract to asphalt the northbound lane if the FRP would still be used.