Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Roger Mercado during his visit to Cebu on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, placed the overall value of the typhoon’s damage in the entire country at around P50 billion.
Mercado is optimistic that rehabilitation efforts will be completed before the term of President Rodrigo Duterte expires on June 30, 2022.
Mercado proudly announced that the DPWH spent only 15 days to make all national roads, highways and bridges passable.
“You might not believe us but the DPWH, we work overnight until it will be delivered,” said Mercado.
Mercado also lauded DPWH 7 Director Edgar Tabacon for their immediate rehabilitation of the highways and bridges in southern Cebu that became accessible after the typhoon.
He commended Tabacon for the immediate reopening of the Sariling Bridge in Malabuyoc town in southwestern Cebu. It only took a week for the bridge to be accessible again.
During his visit, Mercado also inspected the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), also known as Cebu-Cordova Bridge. He said the purpose of his checking on the bridge was to pave the way for the visit of the President during its inauguration on the first quarter of the 2022.
However, CCLEX Corp. president and general manager Allan Alfon said the opening may be delayed because fewer workers reported after the typhoon. Alfon said only around 300 people reported for work out of the original 2,000 workforce before Typhoon Odette (Rai).
Alfon said that after two inspections, they have concluded that the bridge and its permanent structures did not receive any damage from the typhoon.