A concrete ladder with solar lights is being constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in landslide-affected Sitio Kipolot, Barangay Palapacao, Quezon town, Bukidnon, to assist commuters using the Bukidnon-Davao road. On October 17, a portion of the national highway in Kipolot collapsed due to a landslide, disrupting travel between Northern and Southern Mindanao. DPWH 10 public information officer Roshelle Novie Cabrido stated that the P1.1 million project includes handrails and solar lights for travelers transferring between buses at night. The road is a vital link between Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City, offering a shorter route compared to the path through Butuan City. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, who visited the site on October 21, ordered the ladder’s construction after observing commuters struggling on a muddy trail beside a diversion road for motorcycles. DPWH engineers were also instructed to conduct soil tests and design a new diversion road to restore normal traffic flow. The regional office has completed the alternative road design and submitted it to the central office for approval. Tragically, a couple, Ely and Thelma Ubatay, died when their auto rickshaw fell into a cliff during the landslide, with their bodies recovered days later. Completion of the ladder is expected by the weekend, weather permitting.
