Newly-paved Bukidnon-Davao road reopens to motorists

Motorists can now travel more smoothly along a portion of the Bukidnon-Davao (BuDa) Road in Barangay Palacapao, Quezon, Bukidnon after the completion of asphalt overlay works, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Sunday.

The agency said the road improvement was completed early this month following a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to speed up rehabilitation works on the key highway linking Northern Mindanao and the Davao Region.

The newly paved section forms part of the government’s continuing rehabilitation of the BuDa Road after a landslide caused a major road collapse in October 2025.

The BuDa Road spans around 140 kilometers and serves as one of Mindanao’s key interregional highways, linking Bukidnon to Davao City and facilitating the transport of agricultural products and other goods across the island.

Earlier reports said the Department of Public Works and Highways temporarily closed the highway after a portion of the road gave way in Sitio Kipolot, Barangay Palacapao, rendering the route impassable to vehicles.

Authorities immediately mobilized engineers to assess the damage and identify alternative routes for motorists.

The collapse prompted the construction of a detour road and the conduct of geotechnical investigations to determine the stability of the surrounding terrain, which officials said was affected by unstable soil conditions and heavy rains.

The damage disrupted a vital transport corridor used by commuters, cargo trucks, and agricultural traders traveling between Bukidnon and Davao.

At one point, economic losses from the road closure were estimated to reach about ₱40 million daily due to delays in the movement of goods and travelers.

In January 2026, authorities partially reopened the route through a newly constructed bypass and detour road while additional works such as asphalting, drainage installation, and slope protection, continued.—MCG, GMA Integrated News