THE Humming Bird Construction and Supply Corp., the contractor of Halandumon Tower in Bacolod City, was given three months to finish the repair of the tower at Gonzaga-Gatuslao streets, Barangay 12.
Project Engineer Loben Ceballos, of City Engineer’s Office (CEO) said yesterday that the Humming Bird Construction should finish the damaged portion of the Halandumon Tower within three months after it was hit by a Ford Everest vehicle driven by a Korean national last week.
The estimated cost of damage was pegged at P300, 000.
On January 24, the panels two and three of Halandumon Tower were damaged after it was hit by Ford Everest vehicle driven by Inhwan Shin, 46, and temporarily staying at Lopues Square, Barangay Tangub, Bacolod.
Investigation showed that Shin along with his Korean friend were traveling from north to south of Gonzaga-Gatuslao streets. He was driving in a counter flow direction when he bumped the Halandumon Tower.
Shin also assured the police that he will shoulder the expenses to repair the damaged portion of the tower.
Ceballos said they are still finalizing the settlement with the Korean national to shoulder all the expenses on the repair of the tower.
He said that before the incident, the contractor was only fixing the lights and it was set to be turned over to the City Government.
“But it was an accident so they should repair it again so that they will be paid by the city. As long as there’s no final acceptance from the city, the contractor will not be paid. It requires the final acceptance from the city,” he added.
Ceballos said the damaged panels two and three were made of lightweight concrete which is not sub-standard.
He said the components of the lightweight concrete include silica fumes, super plasticizer, PP fibren, polyesterene beads, Portland cement, mixing sand, 8mm reinforcing bars and water.
“The chemicals present in silica fumes are the reason why the panels are lightweight. Solid panels are very heavy,” he added.
Ceballos noted that based on the program of works, the project is not overpriced.
Meanwhile, City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan said, “We will make an official statement as soon as we have the complete documents in regard to the incident. But we are sure that the City Government can recover the damages caused to the property. We have information that there is an insurance coverage for the claim.”
The Halandumon Tower, which cost P4.8 million, was built in commemoration of the 80th year of Bacolod in 2018.
In 2019, several netizens on social media criticized the project when it was inaugurated on June 18.
The structure is made of steel materials, its column cover made of light wall concrete, and the Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting is programmable weather proof.
CEO records showed that the civil works cost P3.7 million, electrical cost P989,990, and the painting works P 154,610.
The Halandumon Tower has eight columns that depict the sugarcane, a backbone of the city’s economy. The eight columns symbolize the eight decades of Bacolod as a City.
“Halandumon” is Hiligaynon for “memorable” or “worthy to be remembered.