By Melvin C. Gascon
A newly constructed section of a road-widening project in Barangay Kirang, Aritao collapsed early Friday morning, sending a tomato-loaded jeepney crashing into a ravine and leaving at least two people injured.
According to a report from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), the incident happened past 4 a.m. along the boundary of Barangay Baan and Barangay Kirang.
The road is a key route for vehicles traveling from the vegetable farms of Benguet to the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Trading Center (NVAT) in Bambang town.
Initial reports said passersby first mistook the collapse for an ordinary landslide until they discovered that a cargo jeep had plunged into the gap below.
Rescuers rushed the injured driver and a female passenger, who sustained a broken leg, to the Lt. Tidang Memorial Hospital in Kayapa town.
Both victims, who were not immediately identified, are reportedly now in stable condition.
DPWH under scrutiny
The road crash again drew public backlash as anomalies in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects became the focus of attention amid allegations of corruption.
In a Viber message, acting DPWH Regional Director Mathias Malenab said the collapsed road was part of a recent road-widening project in the area undertaken by the agency’s Nueva Vizcaya 2nd District Engineering Office.
DPWH has recently faced growing criticism over the quality of its infrastructure projects, with allegations of corruption, contract manipulation, and substandard workmanship tied to private contractors.
Local motorists and residents have long expressed concern about the safety of roadworks in Nueva Vizcaya, with perennial road works causing traffic gridlocks along the busy stretches of Maharlika Highway in Diadi and Santa fe towns, the Baguio–Nueva Vizcaya route and the Nueva Vizcaya-Pangasinan road.
Call for probe
Netizens are urging authorities to investigate the Aritao road incident to determine whether poor construction, erosion, or negligence contributed to the collapse.
President Marcos Jr. has received public support as he called for tighter monitoring of DPWH projects by launching the Sumbong Sa Pangulo website amid recurring reports of infrastructure failures across the country, mainly flood control projects.
The road collapse has once again highlighted the need for accountability in government construction projects, as public safety remains at risk from alleged corruption and defective workmanship. #
