Zamboanga's collapsed footbridge costs P12 million, Rep. Benitez confirms

MANILA, Philippines - The House Committee on Housing and Urban Development chair Alfredo Benitez confirmed on Thursday that the infamous footbridge that collapsed in Zamboanga City on April 26 costs a whopping P12 million.

Zamboanga's collapsed footbridge costs P12 million, Rep. Benitez confirms
The Zamboanga footbridge costs P12 million according to Cong. Benitez

In a media conference, Benitez confirmed the cost of the wooden footbridge that was a project of the National Housing Association (NHA). He said, “Yung wooden bridge na nilakaran namin ay may cost na P12 million.”

This came just days after Benitez fell into the murky waters in Barangay Rio Hondo along with Zamboanga City Representative Celso Lobregat, Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazar, and several other officials. The incident made the rounds online as the video went quickly viral.

Benitez also added that the cost of the wooden housing on stilts were only P20,000 cheaper than the usual cost of concrete housing units.

He said, “Ordinarily, yung isang housing unit na tinatayo ng NHA sa lupa na semento umaabot ng P240,000 per unit. Dito sa house on stilts na ininspection natin, ang cost niya ay P220,000. Mas mura lang nang P20,000.”

Because of these alleged anomalies, his committee will conduct an investigation as soon as possible. He stated, “Pagbalik na pagbalik, naghihintay na lang ako ng bakanteng kwarto sa Congress.”

Quickly fixed

Mayor Beng Climaco had immediately ordered the repair of the collapsed footbridge. Just a day after they fell into waters, Climaco announced that the footbridge was fixed.

She also denounced the incident and said that it was a clear proof that NHA’s housing projects in Zamboanga were made poorly. Climaco also proposed investigation of the anomaly. She said, “It’s time to fully investigate the NHA in Zamboanga City, including its cohorts, the private contractors of the housing project.”

— Sally, The Summit Express



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