Manipis Road closed for 10 days following landslide

A landslide occurred in Barangay Campo Kwatro along the Manipis Road on Thursday morning. | Photo Courtesy of CTTODA

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A landslide in Barangay Campo Kwatro portion of the Manipis-Toledo Wharf Road has prompted the Talisay City government to once again close the road for safety purposes.

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas said that due to the landslide around 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, November 4, 2021, he consulted his officials regarding the road closure.

He met with the City of Talisay Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CTTODA), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRMMO) to discuss the safety measures to be put up in the area.

“During our meeting, we decided to implement a 10-day closure of the landslide area to make way for clearing operations. This means no vehicles, whether motorized or not, will be allowed to pass the area. Pasyensa sad kaau sa atong mga bikers. Kung mu bike mu, kutob lang mu bridge Campo Kwatro (I’m also sorry for our bikers, if they ride a bike here, they can only be given access until bridge in Camp 4),” said Gullas.

The mayor has instructed the barangay captains of Campo Kwatro and Manipis to check on their residents to see if any household has been affected by the landslide, although no injuries or damaged properties have been reported.

Gullas said should there be a need to ferry working residents to the Naga-Uling Road, the city government would find a way to provide such transportation.

“Basin mag bus lang ta para nila taga adlaw kung dili pa agian. Please bear with us on this. When the landslide occurred today, a vehicle almost got caught. Maayo nalang that the driver was able to maneuver right on time or else, his car would have been covered by the falling debris,” said the mayor.

(Perhaps, we will just ride a bus everyday if the road will not be passable by then. Please bear with us on this. When the landslide occurred today, a vehicle almost got caught. It was a good thing that the driver was able to maneuver right on time or else, his car would have been covered by falling debris.)

The city government will also place a checkpoint at Barangay Tangub to inform motorists that the road after Sitio Crossing in Barangay Campo Kwatro is closed. Only those living before the bridge will be allowed to pass.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said they could finish the clearing operations in 10 days, which was why the road would be closed for 10 days. 

Gullas said additional information would be provided after 10 days had passed.  

Talisay CDRRMO head, Alvin Santillan, told CDN Digital in a phone interview that Manipis Road had been identified as high risk by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). 

Landslides are common in the area, which is why the city has been working with the DPWH in the hopes to provide structural reinforcements to the roadside cliffs. 

“Pirmi na gyod na nga maglandslide. Pero wala tay mabuhat kay ang DPWH may naghandle ana nga dalan. If sirad-an pud nato permanently, lima ka barangay ang maapektuhan,” said Santillan. 

(Landslides frequently happen in the area. But we cannot do anything because the DPWH is handling that road. If we close the road permanently, five barangays will also be affected.)

Gullas said that insfrastructure plans had been constantly drawn to fix the problem in the Manipis Road including the possibility of a bypass bridge, but the budget needed for that would be huge.

For now, the city government continues to work with DPWH to at least maintain the road’s safety.

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