Traffic has resumed along the national highway in Barangay Igbarawan, Patnongon town in Antique, after mudflow temporarily blocked the route for commuters bound for northern Antique and Aklan provinces.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Antique District cleared the debris at around 1:15 pm on Friday, September 26, after deploying a standby crew with heavy equipment to restore road access. Other provincial roads remain open to motorists.
The mudflow resulted from soil softening due to rainwater saturation, following heavy downpours from the southwest monsoon intensified by Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name: Bualoi).
While the road was blocked, the Patnongon Municipal Police transported stranded passengers and residents using patrol vehicles.
Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) Information Officer Police Capt. Lynnie de los Santos reported that residents flagged down patrol units to secure rides amid the heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) prepared 18,185 family food packs for distribution to local government units upon request, while the Antique Provincial Government readied 2,500 packs through its Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office for households affected by Opong.
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.