THE drainage project along the routes of the Ironman 70.3 Philippines in Lapu-Lapu City had been completed prior to the triathlon event last Aug. 7, 2022.

This was what Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan told SunStar Cebu days after the event.

All the lanes, particularly those in Barangays Mactan and Maribago, were passable, he said.

“We pressured the contractor to finish the project as it had been delayed for almost a year. That’s why it was already finished before the triathlon,” the mayor said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

Chan earlier expressed his disappointment over the project’s delay as he was afraid it would pose a danger to the around 2,000 participants from 48 countries.

He said the drainage excavations were at least five meters deep and were only covered with iron sheets.

He said he ordered the contractor to fast-track its completion during his ocular inspection last July 28.

Chan said the project was awarded on Dec. 10, 2020 and should have been completed within 250 calendar days, or on Aug. 16, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office said the Ironman was generally peaceful and that there were no major incidents.

However, the event was marred by occasional rains, it said.