The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has reopened more roads to assist in the relief operations being undertaken by the local and national government agencies in quake-affected areas in Northern Luzon.
DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said that as of 12:00 noon Thursday, July 28, 2022, 17 out of 21 road sections previously affected by the earthquake were reopened to traffic. The additional roads declared passable to traffic are Gov. Bado Dangwa National Road in Benguet; Banaue-Hungduan-Benguet Boundary Road in Ifugao; and Cervantes-Aluling-Bontoc Road in Ilocos Sur.
According to Secretary Bonoan, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has also instructed DPWH to work double time in order to facilitate the reopening of the remaining four (4) closed roads which include:
1) Lubuagan-Batong Buhay Road K0462+010, K0463+000, K0463+400, K0463+700, K0464+000 sections in Puapo, Dangtalan, Pasil, Kalinga and K0464+600, K0464+700, K0464+800 sections in Colong, Lower Uma, Lubuagan, Kalinga (due to rock collapse);
2) Baguio - Bontoc Road, Mt. Data Cliff, Bauko, Mt. Province (due to soil collapse);
3) Tagudin - Cervantes Road, K0341+900, K0353+100, K0353+500, K0354+000, K0354+900, and K0354+950 in Ilocos Sur (due to landslide and rockslide); and
4) Jct. Santiago-Banayoyo-Lidlidda-San Emilio-Quirino Road K0393+000 Brgy. Cayos, Quirino, and K0393+000, Ilocos Sur (due to landslide and rockslide).
Meanwhile, the Itogon Bridge along Tagudin - Cervantes Road K0267+519 section in Benguet remains limited to light vehicles for safety reasons.