2 major roads, 3 bridges of Bohol still closed for rehabilitation work – DPWH

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MANILA, Philippines – Two of four major roads and three of the more than a dozen bridges that were severely damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Bohol last October 15 are still closed to vehicular traffic while undergoing emergency rehabilitation, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The DPWH,  in a statement on Monday, said  the Tagbilaran North Road and the Balilihan-Hanopolo-Batuan Road have remained “closed to traffic due to cracks and slide debris.” The agency has completed emergency repairs on the Tagbilaran East Road and the Loay Interior Road in Loboc town.

“Also closed to vehicular traffic are the collapsed Abatan bridge in Tagbilaran City; Malong bridge in Loon town, and the Tagbanue bridge in Alburquerque,” it also said.

The agency’s district engineering offices in the island-province have been “fast tracking rehabilitation works on the damaged roads and bridges,” said Beth Pilorin, chief of the DPWH Public Information Division.

At least P785.33 million worth of roads and bridges, as well as public buildings and flood control systems, were severely damaged by the tremor.

The DPWH placed the earthquake damage to bridges and roads at P434.06 million and P255.21 million, respectively.

Aside from an undisclosed number of public schools, also damaged by the quake were the Tagbilaran City Hall and health office, Hall of Justice, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development provincial office, among others.

The DPWH central office in Manila earlier deployed several teams of engineers to Bohol to “assess the structural integrity of public buildings and other infrastructures” in the province.

Earlier, DPWH-Region 7 Director Ador Canlas reported to Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson that they had “restored the usability of 57 bridges and two flyovers in the Central Visayas that were damaged by the earthquake.”

In Bohol, among the repaired bridges were the Camayaan, Tultogan, Hunan, Taguimtim, Damiao, Daet, Palo, Hinawanan, Bonkokan, Banban, Panangatan, and Agape.