30 North Luzon roads, most in Cordillera impassable: DPWH

The Dept. of Public Works and Highways said 30 road sections in Northern Luzon, mostly in the Cordillera Administrative Region, remain impassable due to the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong.

The DPWH said that a total of 30 road sections in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, and CAR remain closed to traffic due to rock debris, landslides, fallen trees, mud-flow, washed-out road, road-cut, damaged slope protection and electric post, eroded bridge approach, and flooding.

The DPWH said that 24 roads in CAR were still not passable.

Roads with closed sections in CAR included Kennon Road, Baguio-Bontoc Road, Baguio-Bua-Itogon Road, Gurel-Bokod-Kabayan-Buguias-Abatan Road, City Limit-Sto. Tomas Road, Acop Kapanga-Kibungan-Bakun Road, and Cong. Andres Acop Cosalan Road.

Also included are Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road, Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias Road, Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mt. Province Road, Mt. Province Boundary-Calanan-Pinukpuk-Abbut Road, Balbalan Pinukpuk Road, Tabuk Banaue Road via Tanudan Barlig Road, Kalinga-Abra Road, Lubuagan-Batong Buhay Road, Balbalan-Pinukpuk Road, Abra-Ilocos Norte Road, Abra-Kalinga Road, Abra-Cervantes Road, Kabugao-Pudtol Luna-Cagayan Boundary Road, Apayao-Ilocos Norte intermittent section, and Claveria-Calanasan Road.

In Ilocos Region, two road sections are also still impassable; Ilocos Norte-Abra Road, and Urdaneta-JCT Dagupan Road, YMCA Tapuac Section in Pangasinan.

In Pampanga, four road sections remain closed to traffic. These include Sto. Tomas-Minalin Road, Baliwag-Candaba-Sta. Ana Road, Candaba-San Miguel Road, and San Simon-Baliuag Road.

The agency noted that partial cost of damage to roads and bridges have reached P2.273 billion.

The DPWH said its Disaster Response Teams in the concerned regions will “continue to undertake clearing operations and road/bridge restoration works to ensure immediate reopening of national road networks.” – With a report from Liezle Basa Inigo

Meanwhile, motorists from the north going to Dagupan City and those originating from Dagupan traveling to the north may now use Cayanga Bridge in San Fabian as announced on Monday by DPWH region 1.

It was reported that Cayanga Bridge is not passable to all kinds of vehicles after its approach totally eroded on Sunday.

The damaged was immediately repaired by DPWH region 1 by filling of embankment.

Cayanga Bridge along Pangasinan-La Union Road is now open to traffic as of 5 p.m.

“Pwedeng two lanes at mayroon ding temporary foot bridge para naman sa mga tao na gusto tumawid,” said District Engineer Edith Manuel.