For many car guys, a quick drive up some twisty mountain roads is the perfect way to de-stress. After all, nothing lifts our spirits like some fresh air and a nice ride to detach one’s self from the burden of everyday responsibilities.
The thing is, as fun as it is to drive toward the clouds, doing so in the Philippines can sometimes be a risky proposition thanks to falling rocks, landslides, and other similar scenarios.
To better fight these types of hazards, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is commencing technical cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to improve disaster readiness for provincial and mountain roads.
DPWH technical cooperation with JICA
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Details aren’t too specific at the moment, but the deal between the two organizations has already been signed. Moving forward, the DPWH and JICA will work together in the creation and implementation of “countermeasure works” for slope disasters, emergency response, and road disaster information management.
This new development will complement existing DPWH initiatives to improve road safety overall, including the rehabilitation of bridges and national roads prone to collapse and landslides.
“With the willingness of Japanese experts to share their effective technologies on landslides and other road disaster mitigation, the DPWH engineers will be able to apply the best methodology in mitigating and preventing road catastrophes,” DPWH secretary Roger Mercado said in a statement.
Think this will mean less downtime for major mountain roads following typhoons and other weather disturbances?
