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SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang issued a personal apology on Sunday, November 22, 2020 for the fatal accident at the Skyway Extension project.
In a statement, Ang assured victims that their needs will be addressed.
He said that while EEI Corporation, as a contractor, is managing the project, SMC has a responsibility to care for the victims. SMC is the concessionaire for the Skyway project.
“Even with a contractor handling the construction, we are ultimately responsible for the welfare of those affected. I would like to personally apologize to the victims and their families, as well as to our wider community in Muntinlupa, ”Ang said.
One person was killed and four others were injured when a beam spanning two poles from the northbound Skyway extension project in Cupang, Muntinlupa City fell at 8:50 am on Saturday, November 21.
EEI, in a statement Saturday, said a crane that was positioning itself for its next task tipped and fell onto the beam, causing the beam to fall onto six vehicles below.
“This terrible and tragic accident has affected me in ways that I cannot even begin to express. I have not stopped thinking about the people who were affected, the four who were injured and most especially, the person who died, and his family. There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a loved one, ”Ang said.
“To the family, I can only offer my sincere and deepest condolences, and my personal assurance that your family will be cared for. For those who were injured, rest assured that we will provide all the necessary means for them to recover and restart, ”he added.
Ang also promised that the incident will be fully investigated and that SMC and its EEI contractor will ensure that even stricter measures are put in place at the project site.
“In a project of this magnitude and scale, there are many redundant safety measures. Unfortunately, we can’t predict every outcome and I’m sure no one wanted this to happen, ”Ang said.
“Regardless, we are working with the authorities to determine the root cause of this incident. We will find out where the lapses occurred and we will do what is necessary to help ensure that they do not happen again, ”he added.
The P10 billion Skyway extension project provides additional lanes and connects the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) with the Skyway near Susanna Heights and the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway.
The project is seen as key to reducing traffic in southern Metro Manila, particularly in the SLEX and Alabang area, while providing southern motorists direct access to the elevated Skyway.
Ang announced in early October the completion of the Skyway 3 project, a 17.93-kilometer stretch linking SLEX and the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX). This would open to the public in December, as finishing works, such as proper asphalt curing, have been delayed by continued rains. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / SunStar Philippines)
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