DPWH assesses Mindanao quake impact on infra

FILE: Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar delivers a message during the turnover ceremony of the heavy equipment and vehicles from the Government of Japan at Barangay Sagonsongon in Marawi City on March 15, 2018. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has sent technical engineers to Mindanao to check the structural integrity of major roads, bridges and other public buildings affected by a series of earthquakes that jolted southern Philippines in less than a month.

In a statement Friday, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said Undersecretary for Mindanao Operations Dimas Soguilon has supervised the assessment of the situation deployment of quick response teams in Davao and Cotabato.

He also reported that a team composed of bridge engineers from the agency’s Regional Office 11 (Davao Region) and the Davao City District Engineering Office (DEO) inspected Bolton Bridge II on Quimpo Boulevard which is a major connector crossing Davao River after strong ground shaking was felt anew on Thursday.

A report from DPWH Region 11 said minor cracks in the bridge superstructure were found and access of vehicles was immediately limited to 15 to 20 tons capacity for the time being until fully repaired.

Meanwhile, in Davao Del Sur, District Engineer Nicomedes Parilla reported the temporary closure of two out of four lanes of Matanao bridge along Davao-Cotabato road, Matanao Section due to visible cracks in the deck slab.

On school buildings, Soguilon and DPWH Region 11 director Allan Borromeo have inspected the earthquake-damaged school buildings of Kasuga National Highschool in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur.

Villar has directed DPWH regional offices and DEOs to continue with the assessment of all national roads and bridges and school buildings.

The DEOs have also accepted requests coming from other government agencies and private individuals for structural inspections of their respective buildings.

Several tremors hit the southern part of the country in the past two weeks, killing several people and damaging properties.