House inquiry on collapsed MRT-7 post eyed

A congressional investigation on the collapse of a concrete column at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-7) construction site along West Avenue in Quezon City has been proposed at the House of Representatives.

“The incident highlights alarming safety lapses in the implementation and supervision of vital public infrastructure projects such as the MRT, which are expected to follow strict engineering, environmental, and occupational safety standards," said Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera, who filed House Resolution 2262.

“It is imperative to conduct an immediate congressional inquiry to determine the cause of the structural failure, identify lapses in oversight, if any, and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in future government infrastructure projects,” Herrera added in her Resolution.

According to reports, the train system’s bored pile, which will serve as the foundation for the elevated turnback guideway, was the one that collapsed on April 13.

No one was hurt in the incident, but nearby electric cable wires were affected.

Meanwhile, Herrera said that there is an urgent need to strengthen regulations governing construction safety, structural audits, third-party assessments, and community hazard notifications in the vicinity of ongoing public works.

“Resolved further, that the appropriate House committee conduct hearings and compel the attendance of representatives from the DOT, DPWH, LGU officials, the project contractor, and affected residents, and submit its findings and recommendations,” she added.

Earlier, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said that the incident did not affect the integrity of the entire MRT-7.

DOTr spokesperson Ramon Ilagan said that the agency is still gathering reports on the incident but noted that partial operations of MRT-7 may still push through, hopefully by the end of 2025 or next year. —VAL, GMA Integrated News