Concerned Regional and District Engineering Offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Typhoon “Luis” affected areas have installed warning signs on damaged national roads including those declared closed to traffic.
Situational report obtained from maintenance point persons in the field by DPWH Bureau of Maintenance revealed that as of 6 AM today (September 15, 2014), the Calacaban Section of Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Tue (KM389+100) in Mountain Province is closed to traffic due to landslide with DPWH crew and equipment deployed for immediate clearing as soon as workers’ safety is assured.
The Cabagan Overflow Bridge in Sta. Maria, Isabela and Cabatangan River Section of Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road in the Province of Aurora were also both closed to vehicular traffic due to flood waters.
In Nueva Ecija, strong current of flood waters washed out and rendered closed to traffic the detour road at KM173+500 in Barangay Sabit, Cuyapo forming part of Nueva Ecija-Pangasinan Road.
Flood waters of 1.0 meter high has restricted the movement of all types of vehicle at KM303+400 in Mabini-Caranglaan Section of Pangasinan-Zambales Road in Pangasinan while KM578+000 in Paraiso Ni Juan, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and KM396+500 of Pangasinan-La Union Road are both one lane passable following the occurrence of slides.
Slides have also occurred at intermittent section along Ilocos Sur-Abra Road and Tagudin-Cervantes Road in Ilocos Sur but open to all types of vehicles.
To immediately attend to repair and improvement of calamity damaged infrastructure, Secretary Rogelio L. Singson through Department Order 96 dated September 11, 2014 directed the immediate submission by the Regional Directors and District Engineers factual ground validation of damages to DPWH projects for request for funding.
All calamity reports has to be reviewed by the Regional Director within two (2) days from receipt of final report from the ground before forwarding the duly validated report together with supporting documents to the office of Secretary Singson.
Among the supporting documents are the endorsement of the Regional Director, program of work and detailed unit price analysis, project profile, site location map, captioned and dated pictures, and certification by the Regional Director and District Engineer that the project is actually damaged by the particular calamity or disaster.
Calamity damage reports on infrastructure are categorized in three (3) priority groups: Priority 1 – involves immediate rehabilitation of collapsed bridges, cut road sections, breached seawalls and dikes, and uproofed or totally destroyed public buildings to quickly restore mobility and ensure the safety of the affected aeras; Priority 2 – involves ordinary repair works such as patching potholes, resurfacing of washed out roads and slightly destroyed flood control structures; and Priority 3 – involves minor repair work or improvement to prevent further deterioration.