Manila: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported on Friday the extensive damage to public infrastructure caused by the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong. According to the DPWH, the damage has reached over PHP5.25 billion, affecting eight regions in the Philippines.
According to Philippines News Agency, Secretary Manuel Bonoan disclosed that the Bureau of Maintenance's data as of Friday noon estimates PHP5.25 billion in damages to bridges, national roads, and flood control projects. The affected regions include the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and the Negros Island Region (NIR).
The breakdown of the damage shows that flood control structures suffered the most, with damages amounting to PHP4.19 billion. National roads incurred PHP913.02 million in damages, while bridges sustained PHP148.48 million worth of destruction. Secretary Bonoan noted that these figures are preliminary and subject to further field validation.
Concurrently, the DPWH reported that 19 national road sections remain closed to traffic in multiple regions, including CAR, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon. The road closures are due to various obstacles such as fallen trees, electrical cables, debris flow, soil collapse, debris on bridge decks, fallen lamp posts, road slips, collapsed slope protection, and flooding.
Furthermore, the DPWH has identified 37 national road sections with limited access across several regions, including CAR, the National Capital Region (NCR), NIR, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region V, and the Zamboanga Peninsula. The limitations are attributed to issues such as road cuts, soil collapse, flooding, precautionary measures, road slips, and washed-out detour roads.
Efforts continue to assess and address the extensive damage to ensure the safety and connectivity of affected areas, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by adverse weather conditions in the Philippines.
