Manipis road closed for 2-3 months

CEBU, Philippines — The Manipis Road in Talisay City is not passable for two to three months owing to the installation of slope protection and benching to prevent landslides from happening again.

Manipis Barangay Captain Joselito Laurente said the road closure is for the safety of motorists and residents.

“Unta masabtan ra sa motorista sa ilang pagsira sa karsada gumikan sa ka peligro,” he said.

He, however, said Manipis residents are allowed to pass through the road “with utmost vigilance”.

He admitted though that traversing the road is unsafe even for Manipis residents as there is still a fissure or a crack on the slope of the mountain that might collapse.

“Dili pa gyud ta kaingon nga wala nay landslide mahitabo kay naa pay dagko nba pagpangliki nga naa sa ibabaw,” he said.

He said the road might only be opened for vehicular traffic early next year.

Landslides are common in the area, which is why the city government has been working with the Department of Public Works and Highways in the hopes to provide structural reinforcements to the roadside cliffs.

On November 4, another landslide hit the area. No one was reported injured but several motorists and bikers were stranded on the other side of the road.

It was closed last month after a similar landslide occurrence and was only opened about a week prior to the November 4 landslide.

The road is still not passable since November 4 due to continuous clearing operations and ongoing slope benching of the Manipis mountain.

Manipis road is an important access to and from Metro Cebu on the east coast to the west coast of Cebu Island, where Toledo City is located.

Toledo has ports that connect to neighboring Negros Island. — REPORTS FROM BANAT NEWS/KQD