Manipis road now passable

CEBU, Philippines - The contractor of a road project in Barangay Manipis, Talisay City finally cleared yesterday part of the road which was blocked by debris from last Friday's landslide and rendered impassable for the past few days.

According to Mayor Eduardo Gullas, QM Builders totally cleared yesterday the area in Manipis where debris from the landslide blocked the road.

The mayor earlier expressed alarm over reports that the clearing was not started immediately.

He said his grandson, Cebu first district Representative Gerald Anthony Samsam Gullas, was also concerned considering that the ongoing road widening project was lobbied by the younger Gullas and funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Due to successive rains, soil in Manipis softened causing a landslide last Friday.

The Manipis road, an alternative route to Toledo City, was temporarily closed due to the soil erosion. QM Builders was then ordered to do the clearing.

However, the clearing operation got delayed after two of QM's trucks were apprehended by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).

Willie Abatayo, project supervisor of QM Builders, earlier said they could not start with the clearing immediately because they had yet to settle the apprehension with PENRO.

Finally on Thursday, QM Builders started to clear the area and as of yesterday, the roads were already passable, said Abatayo.

Alvin Santillana, head of the Talisay City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, for his part, urged motorists to refrain from passing Barangay Manipis since it is considered as a danger zone as of the moment.

He said that up to now, there are occasional soil erosions in the barangay, although not that big.

Residents and local officials also fear that the ongoing road project in their area coupled with the successive rains will increase the chances of another major landslide.

"We were worried, ang mangagi didto madisgrasya kay mopugos gyud. Gi-close nato ang karsada. Hangyo nako nga motuo ta sa atong kapitan na si Capt. Emma Cabiluna ug atong mga tanod sa Manipios aron wala'y madisgrasya," said Santillana. (FREEMAN)