Landslide-hit S. Leyte highway to open after 2 months

TACLOBAN CITY, May 25  -- A section of a major road connecting Leyte Island to Mindanao that has been closed for more than two months due to landslides, will be opened next week, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The DPWH Southern Leyte field office will reopen the road Monday, just few days after the scheduled closure of the alternative Abuyog-Silago Road.

The Abuyog-Silago Road, considered as alternate route from Leyte to Mindanao, was closed as major repair works of Cadac-an Bridge in Abuyog town started on Thursday.

“With the closure of this major highway in Abuyog, there will be no other access to the Pacific towns and Southern Leyte port, but the longer Mahaplag-Baybay Road route. We have to speed up the removal of landslide debris in Pancho Villa in Sogod town to make the highway open to traffic by next week,” said DPWH Southern Leyte district engineering office chief Ma. Margarita Junia in a mobile phone interview Friday.

On March 14, a major landslide occurred in Pancho Villa village damaging a part of the highway. The debris and signs of another landslide prompted the DPWH to close the Mahaplag-Sogod Road for the safety of motorists.

Maintenance personnel has been working overtime to remove the remaining clay materials within the 250-meter road section, said Junia.

The official clarified that Mahaplag-Sogod road will initially be opened to traffic for 45 days or during the early stage of Cadac-an bridge repair works.

“We were told that rehabilitation works of Cadac-an Bridge will take 195 days. We decided to open the road into three intervals. While rehabilitation works there are ongoing, Mahaplag-Sogod road will be open for 45 days to accommodate vehicles travelling to Southern Leyte and Benit Port,” Junia added.

Benit port in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte is the region’s exit point to Mindanao.

Junia said that after 45 days, the road will be closed again to traffic while the Abuyog-Silago road will be available for motorists within 30 days.

She added that this operation will continue even if there’s no major landslide in Pancho Villa village.

The road section in Pancho village will not be fully opened until ongoing intensive soil explorations and anti-landslide measures are done. (SQM/PNA)