By Josine Estuye
MANILA, (PNA) -– Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson on Monday admitted more are still to be assessed in quake-stricken Bohol and Cebu before they develop the best rehabilitation plan.
Singson said for the mean time, the department is focusing on how to make the damaged roads, especially the collapsed bridges to be passable to public.
“There is an immediate need to make the bridges and roads passable, kahit temporary muna, while we are doing the analysis and the assessment on how we have to upgrade,” said Singson during a phone interview with the Philippines News Agency.
“The objective is to make all the bridges and roads passable. What’s important now is to make them passable, as quickly possible as I said,” the public works and highways secretary added.
Singson said as of now, three bridges in Bohol are still collapsed namely:
(1) Abatan Bridge, K0010+187 along Tagbilaran North Road;
(2) Moalong Bridge, K0031+428 along Tagbilaran North Road, Loon; and
(3) Tagbauane Bridge, K0246+655 along Tagbilaran East Road, Albur.
According to the DPWH head, engineers and construction personnel are still deployed to restore the bridges.
“Today, we are starting to restore, or at least provide temporary bridging materials, sa tatlong tulay na iyan,” the DPWH added.
Singson said, the temporary restoration of bridges and roads in Cebu and Bohol will take 2-3 weeks.
The DPWH head added that based on their initial estimate, the rehabilitation in quake-affected areas will cost around P700 million.
“Well right now, about P700 million ang initial estimate. But depende ngayon kung how will we retrofit this bridges o kung kailangang ilipat because of the vulnerability to liquefaction,” he said.
Meanwhile, Singson said that the DPWH shall also converge with the Department of Tourism for the restoration of quake-affected tourism roads in Bohol. The province is one of the top tourist-destinations the country.