DPWH building rises in Mt Prov after landslide tragedy

PARACELIS, Mountain Province -- Following the death of scores of people when the Dept. of Public Works and Highways building was buried by a landslide at the height of Typhoon Rosing last year in adjacent Natonin town, DPWH officials on Tuesday led the blessing and dedication of the newly constructed sub-office of the Mountain Province Second District Engineering Office located here at Barangay Bananao. Rev. Fr. Feliciano Agatep, engineer Charles C. Sokoken, representative of the regional director of DPWH- CAR and officials of MPSDEO, Bananao and Office of the Legislative Caretaker of Mountain Province representative lawyer Cyphrine Maxwell Y. Dalog witnessed the historical mark of DPWH MPSDEO.

The construction of the building was made possible through the initiative of the late Rep. Maximo B. Dalog, Sr.

The OIC- DE of MPSDEO, Rustom A. Martinez, in his message said the building is dedicated to the men and women of the DPWH who strive to achieve the vision and mission of DPWH, particularly employees of the Mountain Province Second DEO recently affected by the tragedy wrought by typhoon Rosita in October 2018 with quality infrastructure and a testament and dauntless vision and legacy of DPWH Officials, local officials and lot donor.”

Martinez became emotional when he recalled his first night at the building. “The said facility was very much worth it. It was my refuge with my driver on October 30, 2018 when we were not able to enter Natonin and unknowingly typhoon Rosita wiped out the whole office. Now, the only existing structure we call our own. To me this is priceless.”

Several persons were buried alive in the building hit by a landslide at the height of Typhoon Rosing.  

The building, dubbed by locales as the “White mansion of the East” seats on a lot donated by the family of Romana Ballawig at Bebesual, Bananao, Paracelis.

It is temporarily the relocation site of the DE’s quarters having a limited space supposed for a sub-office.

Employees of this newly created DEO with this only existing building are symbol of hope and inspiration after that tragic incident at Natonin, officials said.

The Mountain Province Second DEO is temporarily relocated and operating at the old DENR Building at Poblacion, Paracelis and two of its sections: Quality Assurance and Maintenance are at the LGU-owned compound at Magawood, Bantay, Paracelis.