23 roads not passable in Region 2, Cordillera

BAGUIO CITY -- A total of 23 road sections in Region 2 and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were closed Wednesday due to damage brought by Typhoon Rosita.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH, the road sections and bridges had to be closed due to scoured detour bridge approach, road slip, rock fall, road cut, soil collapse, slide, mudflow, debris flow, high water elevation, scoured bridge abutment and washed-out detour road.

Majority of the impassable roads were in CAR, the department’s Bureau of Maintenance said.

In Benguet, closed were: Kennon Road, a section of Baguio-Bontoc Road in Sabangan, Mt. Province, a section of Cong. Andres Acop Cosalan Road in Man-asok, Sebang, Buguias, and a section of Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Road in Bagtangan, Gambang, Bakun.

Motorists were advised to take Marcos Highway or Rosario-Pugo-Baguio Road, Naguilian Road or Bauang-Baguio Road, and Asin-Nangalisan-San Pascual Road via the Rosario-Pugo Road instead of Kennon Road going to Benguet.

A section of the Eastern Link Circumferential Road in Baguio, sections of Apayao-Ilocos Norte Road and Claveria-Calanasan-Kabugao Road in Apayao were also closed.

Sections of Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Road, Kiangan – Tinoc – Buguias Road, and Julongan, Kiangan, in Ifugao were ordered closed as well as some road sections in Upper Kalinga and Mt. Province.

In Region 2, nine roads were closed which include three road sections in Cagayan, two road sections in Isabela, two in Nueva Vizcaya, and two road sections in Quirino.

Disaster response teams were already deployed in affected regions as well as other parts of Luzon to conduct clearing operations and road or bridge restoration for the immediate reopening of affected national road networks, the DPWH said.