CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 16 December)—Truckers and vehicle owners can expect relief as the Department of Public Works and Highways in Region 10 announced that the detour road near the damaged highway linking Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, and Davao is now 65% complete.
DPWH 10 information officer Novie Cabrido said the four-lane detour road in Sitio Kipolot, Barangay Palacapao, Quezon town, Bukidnon, will open by the first or second week of January 2026.
“Currently, our engineers are correcting the grade of the road surface. By January, only minor activities will remain to finish the project,” Cabrido said.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the construction of the detour after the highway in Quezon town—a vital link between Northern Mindanao and Davao—collapsed due to heavy rains on October 16.
Director Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Region 10 estimated that the traffic disruption has caused P187 million in daily economic losses, equivalent to a 1.19% drop in Northern Mindanao’s gross domestic regional product (GDRP).
Cabrido said the detour road, built beside the collapsed highway, cost P46,607,879.33 and was funded through the DPWH Quick Response Fund.
“Our engineers were given 45 days to complete the project to ease the burden on truckers and vehicle owners,” she said.
Though not cemented, the four-lane detour road is safe for heavy trucks and vehicles. Cabrido added that funding for cementing the road would require a separate request from their Manila office. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
