CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 18 July 2026) — Vehicles passing through Damulog town in Bukidnon could expect delays after a portion of the highway there measuring around 100 meters cracked due to heavy rains on Friday night that almost led to its closure.
Damulog borders Carmen town in Cotabato province in Region 12, an alternative route to and from Davao City whenever portions of the Bukidnon-Davao highway become impassable due to damage.
Holy Robles of the Damulog Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 10 initially inspected the site and recommended a total closure of the highway in Barangay Pocopoco.
During a meeting with Damulog town officials on Saturday morning, Robles stated that the DPWH relented to local requests, ultimately allowing the passage of all vehicle types.
They agreed to allow the use of the undamaged lane.
“The arrangement now is that vehicles and cargo trucks will alternately use the remaining undamaged portion of the highway,” Robles told MindaNews in a phone interview.
He noted that the route via Damulog remains an option after a landslide Friday led to a temporary closure of the Bukidnon-Davao road in Barangay Marilog, Davao City.
The closure has forced cargo trucks and other vehicles to divert to Carmen, Cotabato, to reach Bukidnon.
Earlier this month, a massive landslide also closed down the San Fernando (Bukidnon)- Talaingod (Davao del Norte) highway – another link between Northern Mindanao and Davao Region.
The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDEV) warned that recurring landslides and prolonged road closures mean higher costs for Mindanao’s transport and cargo sectors.
According to the DEPDEV Region 10 office, the highway collapse in Quezon, Bukidnon last year triggered a staggering ₱187 million in daily economic losses for these sectors. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)
