DPWH eyes modern technology to curb Cordillera landslides

BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is eyeing modern mountain technologies to address persistent erosion problems in the Cordillera region, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said.

“Our practice before is no longer applicable at this time. We cannot continue doing the same thing. We will use new technologies and methods that are sturdier and will last longer,” Dizon told reporters after inspecting rain-induced landslides and rockslides that damaged public infrastructure in Baguio City and Benguet province on Friday.

Dizon said the new technologies would cost more initially but would be cheaper in the long run by reducing repeated repairs after heavy rains.

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“We repeatedly repair damaged infrastructure after the rains. That can no longer be the case,” he said.

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The DPWH has included funding for modern technologies in its proposed 2027 budget, according to Dizon.

He said the department would also use new technologies for projects funded through its quick response fund to address about P3 billion worth of damage in the Cordillera region.

The aim, he said, is to ensure that repaired infrastructure in mountainous areas lasts for years.

During an inspection of a road slip along the Benguet-Vizcaya Road in Beckel, La Trinidad, Benguet, Dizon said the DPWH would install a 75-meter-long double-crib wall with a mechanical stability system for slope protection.

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The project is expected to take about 11 months and has been allotted P75 million in quick response funds under next year’s budget.

Dizon also inspected a damaged metal “curtain wall” in Daclan, Tublay, where he said the DPWH had consulted Japanese partners who installed the technology.

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“We asked for their help to reinstall the same, replacing only the damaged portion,” he said.

Dizon said the curtain wall had served its purpose by catching debris and keeping the road safe. Japanese experts have also committed to making corrections to further strengthen the structure, he added.

Shotcrete slope protection will also be applied to the upper portion of the mountain to hold soil and rocks in place.

Shotcrete involves spraying a concrete mixture at high velocity onto rock or soil surfaces to stabilize slopes and help prevent erosion, landslides and rockfalls.

“The order time will take two months, and it will only be then that we can start the repair using a P30 million budget. It might take about four months,” Dizon said.

At the strawberry farm in La Trinidad, which has experienced persistent flooding for more than 20 years, Dizon said short- and long-term measures would begin immediately.

The DPWH plans to dredge Bolo Creek and the Balili River, where water from the farm’s canals drains, and install a floodgate at Bolo Creek to prevent water from flowing back when the creek swells.

For the long term, the department plans to construct a large drainage canal and several water catchment areas along the strawberry farm road leading to the Balili River.

During a meeting with the Cordillera Regional Development Council attended by Baguio and Benguet officials on Friday morning, the DPWH also presented technologies recommended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency that have proven effective on mountain slopes in Japan.

Presidential Adviser for Cordillera Assistant Secretary Antonio Tabora Jr. suggested studying tunnels as an alternative to repeatedly repairing mountain roads, particularly Kennon Road.

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“It is being done in Korea, Japan. Look into it, and if the cost will give us many years without problems and with lesser maintenance cost, then maybe we can consider it not just for Cordillera but in other mountainous areas,” Tabora said. /dm