CRACKED. A road slip and depression was monitored along Iloilo-Antique Road in Lindero, Hamtic town as a result of the continuous downpour due to the southwest monsoon and Tropical Depression Henry on Monday (July 16,2018). (Photo courtesy of DPWH 6)
ILOILO CITY -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) advised commuters and motorists to be alert and take note of possible detours as several road slips and road depression were monitored due to downpour brought about by the southwest monsoon and Tropical Depression “Henry”.
DPWH information officer Vivian Tan said their maintenance crew has been deployed to affected areas and necessary signage has been installed to guide motorists and commuters.
In Antique, road slip and road depression was monitored along Iloilo-Antique Road in Lindero, Hamtic town.
Road depression or road settlement was also monitored along Iloilo-Hamtic Road in Barangay Igbucagay in Hamtic.
“Motorists are advised to take San Joaquin, Iloilo-Anini-y, Antique coastal road,” Tan said.
Raul Armada, chief of the DPWH Antique District Maintenance Division, said upon inspection of the site on Monday afternoon that they had to declare the road section as impassable until they could restore it. “We are appealing to friendly contractors to help us in this restoration work,” he said.
He said they are asking contractors to provide them sand and gravel for filling materials because they have difficulty in sourcing from the riverbed due to the poor weather condition.
“The road depression is almost one meter so we advised commuters to divert via Anini-y town,” he said.
Anini-y, the southernmost town of Antique, has a coastal road that serves as alternate route for commuters going to Iloilo without passing by the mountainous Barangay Igbucagay.
“We hope to restore the road within the day,” Armada added.
The road depression along Iloilo-Antique road in Caromangay, Hamtic left one lane passable to motorists.
One lane remains passable to traffic along Anini-y-Tobias Fornier-Hamtic Road after a landslide.
On the other hand, the DPWH also warned of a road slip in New Gummawan and Cata-an in San Joaquin, Iloilo. Tan said only one lane of this secondary road in Cata-an is passable while the former is still open to motorists.
The low chainage abutment of the Anhawan Bridge in the town of Oton was also damaged but the right side is still passable.
In Negros Occidental, the affected infra was monitored along Bacolod-Silay road.
Tan said the flood control structure of the Binalbagan Bridge River Bank was damaged due to continuous heavy rains and high water level.
Unestimated fund has been requested for the rehabilitation of the river bank. Tan said the DPWH is still waiting for the program of rehabilitation works and for the quoted budget. (With reports from Annabel J. Petinglay/PNA)
