QUEZON, Bukidnon (07:20 PM October 21, 2025) — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, who arrived by helicopter on Tuesday despite intermittent rains, personally inspected the collapsed section of the Bukidnon–Davao Road in Sitio Kipolot, Barangay Palacapao here, popularly known as “Overview.”

The collapse, which occurred on Saturday night, October 18, caused a massive portion of the six-lane national highway to give way and plunge into a deep ravine, rendering the vital route impassable to all vehicles.

Dizon was joined by OIC–Undersecretary for Convergence and Technical Services Lara Marisse Esquibil, along with officials from the DPWH Central Office Bureau of Design, Region 10, Bukidnon 2nd District Engineering Office, and representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), as well as provincial and local officials.

He was met by Bukidnon Gov. Neil Roque and Quezon Mayor Pablo Lorenzo III.

Dizon said his visit aimed to personally assess the extent of the damage and identify measures to speed up the repair and reopening of the highway, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to immediately restore road access in the area.

“The situation cannot be resolved easily. It requires a thorough investigation to determine the proper course of action to address the damage on this major road that connects Bukidnon, Davao City, and Cagayan de Oro,” Dizon said.

“We must find a concrete and sustainable solution to ensure the safety and stability of this critical infrastructure.”

Dizon stressed that the Bukidnon–Davao road is a crucial economic corridor connecting the Northern Mindanao and Davao regions, facilitating the transport of goods and movement of people between provinces.

He also ordered the immediate conduct of a full geotechnical investigation to support the design and construction of a detour road that will temporarily ease traffic flow while rehabilitation works continue.

“Our priority is a fast but high-quality restoration of this vital road network,” Dizon said, noting that the DPWH will coordinate closely with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) under the DENR to address soil instability not only in the landslide area but in nearby sections of the highway.

Lorenzo earlier expressed concern over the landslide’s impact on local commerce and mobility.

“The highway is cut off, and although there are temporary adjustments, the supply chain—especially goods bound for Davao and vice versa—is heavily disrupted,” he had said.

The DPWH has yet to release an official estimate of the damage or a timeline for the full restoration of the collapsed section of the highway.

As of Tuesday, authorities are still searching for Ely and Thelma Ubatay, both 60-year-old vegetable vendors, who are believed to have been swept down the ravine when their vehicle was caught in the landslide. Search and retrieval operations are ongoing. (Mel N. Velez – inquirerdotnet)