‘Sinkhole’ forms along Pasay road

MANILA, Philippines — A “sinkhole” was discovered along Sales Road in Pasay City, directly under the Skyway, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported yesterday.

A portion of the eastbound lane of Sales Road, near Villamor Air Base’s Gate 3, was closed to vehicular traffic, according to a Facebook post by the MMDA.

The pothole gradually collapsed until the water underneath was exposed, according to photos shared by the agency.

An MMDA traffic enforcer said the pothole grew to an estimated three meters in width and three meters in depth.

The pothole, which occupied the middle of the two-lane road, was blocked off with traffic cones and plastic road barriers, the enforcer added.

The MMDA advised motorists to avoid the area, which usually gets congested during rush hour, and use other roads.

According to radio reports, drivers on Sales Road’s westbound lane from Nichols going to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 have been allowed to counterflow on the eastbound lane.

According to Loreta Malaluan, Metro Manila regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways, water concessionaire Maynilad suspected the pothole could have been caused by a leak from its pipeline that drenched and softened the soil.

The Skyway management sent a vacuum truck to siphon the water from the pothole, while Maynilad personnel checked for the source of the leak, she said in a dzBB interview.

Maynilad personnel refused to call the pothole a “sinkhole,” saying the latter refers to a natural phenomenon and is not caused by any infrastructure project.