‘Odette’ damage to infrastructure tops P585-M: DPWH

MANILA – Days after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in the Visayas and Mindanao, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Wednesday reported that the estimated damage to infrastructure is now at PHP585.8 million.

In a statement, DPWH Acting Secretary Roger Mercado said this is based on the latest report from the agency’s Bureau of Maintenance as of 6 a.m. Wednesday.

So far, the region that recorded the highest cost of damage is Mimaropa at PHP231.9 million, followed by Eastern Visayas, PHP173.4 million; Caraga, PHP145 million; and Western Visayas, PHP35.5 million.

Other regions have yet to submit reports on estimated damage to roads, bridges, and flood-control structures.

On the other hand, Mercado said a total of PHP100 million as Immediate Response Fund was released for the clearing/response operations in Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga.

The DPWH has so far reopened 34 roads while 12 roads are still closed to traffic in four regions.

These include Puerto Princesa North Road Langogan Bridge, Barangay Langogan, Puerto Princesa City due to damaged bridge; Puerto Princesa North Road, Tagburos Bridge II, Puerto Princesa City due to damaged bridge approach, fallen trees & utility post.

Tagbilaran North Road (TNR) (Tagbilaran-Jetafe Sect) – Guiwanon, Maribojoc due to soil erosion and fallen trees; Cebu-Toledo Wharf Road in Cebu due to fallen trees and electric posts and debris; Toledo-Pinamungajan Aloguinsan-Mantalongon Road, Barangay Cabitoonan, Toledo City due to fallen electrical posts; Sariling Bridge, Malabuyoc, Cebu due to damaged/collapsed bridge abutment A, revetment washed-out; Santander-Barili-Toledo Road Intermittent sections, Barangay Madridejos, Alegria, Cebu due to damaged/collapsed pavement at intermittent sections due to scouring and damaged seawall from strong waves; fallen trees, electric posts and other debris.

Bais-Kabankalan Road, two sections in Barangay Manlipac, Bais City, Negros Oriental due to soil collapse; Misamis Oriental – Bukidnon – Agusan Road, Barangay Siloo, Malitbog, Bukidnon due to damaged newly constructed spillway at Siloo Bridge; Butuan City – Cagayan de Oro City – Iligan City Road, Old Mambayaan Bridge due to damaged bridge; Sta. Filomena – Bonbonon – Digkilaan, Rogongon Road, Sitio Salinsing and Purok Lindaban, Barangay Rogongon, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte due to landslide and soil collapse; and Dinagat-Loreto Road, Mahayahay, San Jose, Dinagat Islands due to road slip.

Five roads are still hardly passable, which include Puerto Princesa North Road, Tanabag Bridge II, Maoyon Bridge, San Rafael Bridge, Concepcion Bridge, Olanguan Bridge, Babuyan Bridge in Puerto Princesa due to damaged bridge approach, fallen trees, and utility posts, and debris flow; Jct. SH Impasug-ong – Patulangan By-Pass Rd, in Bukidnon due to soil erosion; Dinagat-Loreto Road, Mahayahay, San Jose, Dinagat Islands due to fallen trees; NJR Bah-Bah-Talacogon Rd. in Barangay Lucena, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur due to damaged Detour Road, Damaged Bailey Bridge, Flooding, and Soil Slope Collapse; and NRJ Bayugan-Calaitan-Tandag Road in Barangay Berseba, Bayugan due to road cut and sinking/collapsed pavement.