DESTROYED OVERFLOW BRIDGE IN BARANGAY BI-AO, BINALBAGAN

Barangay Captain Diomel John T. Salazar of Brgy. Bi-ao in Binalbagan, along with his constituents, told NDB this afternoon they are thankful to the Office of the Governor of Negros Occidental for immediately responding to their appeal for help following the destruction of the overflow bridge due to flash floods that hit Sitio Elenita/Aguida that links Brgy. Payao to Bi-ao and other mountain communities in the town.

Salazar said heavy rains yesterday afternoon (Oct. 27, 2021) in the hinterlands caused flash floods that destroyed a big part of the overflow bridge, preventing all types of vehicles – and thousands of residents, from crossing the creek in the sitio.

“We were thankful nobody was crossing the bridge when the flashflood hit it,” he said.

He also said that although provincial government equipment were used today to provide temporary access through the creek, heavy rains in the upper parts of the town will once again prevent vehicles and people from crossing the creek.

The barangay captain said an alternative route to reach Bi-ao from Payao, vice versa, is a two-meter wide steel bridge established by the previous municipal administration some five years ago, but it can only accommodate three-wheeled vehicles, and it is a detour of more than three kilometers.

Another detour, he said is farther away through creeks, rivers and rocky, steep dirt roads that connect to the general direction of Brgys. Santol and Amontay to La Libertad, Negros Oriental. This detour to Bi-ao from Payao was experienced by NDB and Pasiplat FM reporters today, through very rugged one-way roads with no telecommunication signals for more than an hour.

“We hope that the repair or restoration of the destroyed overflow bridge will be fast-tracked because thousands of residents will be at the mercy of the weather everytime we attempt to cross the creek. Sugarcane trucks and heavy const

ruction equipment also used to cross the destroyed bridge,” Brgy. Captain Salazar added.

This afternoon, residents were assisting light vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles and people cross the creek since the water was just knee-deep although in another part it was deeper.

Former Binalbagan Mayor Emmanuel Aranda was also at the site of the destroyed bridge this afternoon after checking the two detour routes from Payao to Bi-ao.* (Arman P. Toga photos)