FOLLOWING the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck on June 8, 2026, the Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) confirmed that all national roads in Davao Occidental are now passable.
According to spokesperson Dean Ortiz, during the Habi at Kape press conference at Abreeza Ayala Malls on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, roads in the affected areas have been reopened to vehicular traffic after six days of continuous clearing operations.
Ortiz maintained that no significant damage was sustained by national roads in the Davao Region, aside from the 18 landslides recorded across the municipalities of Malita, Don Marcelino, and Jose Abad Santos, which have since been cleared.
Meanwhile, Ortiz said that recent reports of rockfalls are separate incidents from the 18 landslides previously cleared by DPWH-Davao. He added that the agency is prepared to coordinate with the concerned local government units (LGUs) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) should additional clearing or mitigation operations become necessary.
On the other hand, Ortiz clarified that after inspections by engineers from the Unified Project Management Office, the Bucana and Bolton bridges in Davao City only sustained minor damage, which does not pose danger to vehicles and riders alike.
“Wala tay angay ikabalaka (There is nothing to worry about),” regarding the public’s worries about the safety of the city’s major bridges after several videos and photos circulated online showing damage weeks after the tremor.
When asked about the videos of bridges shaking during the quake, Ortiz maintained: “That’s how the bridge is designed; it’s designed to move.”
According to him, the structural integrity of the bridges is intact, and the bridges are built with the guidance of DPWH standards. He added that the infrastructure projects are equipped with expansion joints that help absorb the impact when there are seismic activities.
In the recent reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as of June 26, the earthquake’s fatalities rose to 88, including neighboring regions, with 391,275 estimated affected families. A total of 1,316 people were injured, with 24 still missing.
However, the council said these figures are still subject to change depending on the developments, as operations by various government agencies and units continue. CYRUS DECOLAS, UM, SUNSTAR DAVAO INTERN
