Damaged Metro Cebu Expressway segment now passable, says Marcos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced on Monday, June 22, that Segment 3A of the long-delayed Metro Cebu Expressway in Naga City, Cebu is now passable, providing relief to thousands of factory workers who had been affected by the road’s collapse and recurring transportation problems.

Marcos made the announcement during an inspection of the 4.55-kilometer segment in Sitio Riverside, Barangay Cantao-an, alongside Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon, Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, and Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro.

According to the President, the section damaged by a landslide years ago can now be used, although slope protection works on the sides of the expressway are still ongoing to prevent another collapse.

Dizon, meanwhile, told the President that motorists could already use the road.

READ: Metro Cebu Expressway: DPWH to complete Naga stretch by June

“Actually, madadaanan na po today, madadaanan na po ngayon,” he said.

(It may now be used today.)

Relief for workers

Marcos said the reopening of the road would particularly benefit employees of a nearby factory in Barangay Cantao-an who had endured difficult conditions following the collapse of a portion of the expressway in 2023.

He said that workers had to walk to and from work even during heavy rains and extreme heat after the damaged section became impassable.

The President also noted that poor road conditions had affected the operations of businesses in the area.

He said products being transported through the damaged road were often broken because of the rough terrain, resulting in losses and creating concerns among investors.

READ: Capitol to lobby national funding for P94-B Metro Cebu Expressway

“Malaking bagay ito because napakasama nung daan noon na yung ginagawa ng kanilang planta, dahil sa pagka-lubak, itong produkto nila, pag dumadaan dito sa daan na ito, nababasag. Kaya napakasayang naman at nakakahiya sa ating mga investors na hindi natin sila inaalagaan ng mabuti, kaya inayos natin kaagad,” Marcos said.

(This is a big thing because the roads were so bad previously because of vehicles passing from the plants. It would be such as waste and a shame to our investors if we do not take care of them so we have fixed the road immediately.)

Factory operations affected

Tatsuya Mori, president of the Japanese company operating the factory in Barangay Cantao-an, said around 4,000 employees currently work at the facility, which manufactures smartphone actuators used for auto-focus and optical image stabilization functions.

The company began operations in the area in 2022 and reached full production in 2023.

Mori said transportation had been among the biggest challenges faced by the company following the collapse of the road.

“Whenever there is heavy rain, we really have a big problem on the transportation. Employees are having difficulty coming to work,” he said.

At one point, he said, the damaged section became completely impassable, forcing workers to walk between buses.

“People have to walk. Bus can come over there, then they’ll walk, then they’ll be picked up by another bus. So it was very hard under the rain,” Mori said.

He described the transportation problem as one of the biggest operational concerns for the company in Naga City.

Damaged by landslide

Segment 3A stretches from Barangay Pangdan to Barangay Inayagan in Naga City.

The four-lane project includes drainage works, asphalt overlay, slope stabilization, and environmental protection measures.

A portion of the segment partially collapsed in 2023 after a landslide, causing repeated delays in the completion of the project.

Marcos said engineers decided to relocate part of the road farther away from the ravine while slope protection measures are being installed to prevent another failure.

“Nilipat yung kalsada palayo doon sa bangin, at yung bangin nilalagyan ngayon ng slope protection para hindi na maulit yung pagguho,” he said.

(The road has been moved away from the cliff, which has been fitted with slope protection so that a slide would not recur.)

MCE to cut travel time

Once fully completed, the project is expected to reduce travel time from Naga City to N. Bacalso Avenue in Metro Cebu from the usual 35 minutes to around 15 minutes.

The Department of Public Works and Highways earlier said the segment would benefit more than 3,000 industrial workers, commuters, and motorists.

Marcos also disclosed that another section of the Metro Cebu Expressway used by workers in the area is expected to be completed within the next year.

The President added that what was originally planned as a two-lane road was accelerated and expanded into four lanes through round-the-clock construction, allowing traffic to continue flowing even if one side becomes affected by future landslides.

“Pinaspas natin kaya ang nangyari, 24/7 nakagawa tayo ng four lanes,” he said.

(We expedited it so what happened is with work going on 24/7, we made four lanes.)

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