2 more bridges damaged by Taal Volcano eruption

FILE: Smoke billows out of a seemingly quiet Taal Volcano on Friday (Jan. 17, 2020). (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA — Two more national bridges in Batangas were damaged by the Taal Volcano eruption, amounting to over PHP9 million, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Friday.

In his report to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, Bureau of Maintenance director Ernesto Gregorio said the infrastructures were assessed to have damaged due to previous volcanic tremors.

He added that Calbangan Bridge on Palico-Balayan-Batangas Road in Barangay Mataas na Bayan, Lemery and the Laguile Bridge on Lemery-Taal Diversion Road in Barangay Laguile, Taal, sustained an estimated PHP4.77 million damage each.

Village reported that the estimated damage cost to national roads and bridges due to the eruption is at PHP153.32 million as of 8 a.m. Friday.

Earlier, the DPWH announced that five roads in Batangas were damaged by earthquakes.

These are the Palico-Balayan-Batangas Road with PHP27 million damage; Lemery Taal Diversion Road with PHP35.16 million damage; Diokno Highway with PHP41.62 million damage; Tanauan-Talisay-Tagaytay Road with PHP4 million damage.

The other roads that were affected by tremors are Talisay-Laurel-Agoncillo Road with PHP34 million damage while Sinisian Bridge on Palico-Balayan-Batangas Road suffered PHP2 million damage.

The DPWH also reported that at present, the Talisay-Laurel-Agoncillo Road remains impassable due to the damaged pavement and lockdown.

The lockdown was imposed by the local government units of Laurel and Agoncillo towns.

On January 12, the Taal Volcano erupted displacing thousands of people in Batangas and Cavite. Hundreds of volcanic tremors were recorded in the two provinces.