By Helen Castaño | 03:56 PM October 07, 2026
A section of the national highway in Barangay Taguihon was closed to motorists on Wednesday after the road surface cracked and began sinking due to a suspected sinkhole beneath it. — Helen Castaño
BACLAYON, Bohol — A section of the national highway in Barangay Taguihon was closed to motorists on Wednesday after the road surface cracked and began sinking due to a suspected sinkhole beneath it.
The local government said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 1 said the ground started collapsing at around 4 a.m. on Oct. 7, prompting the closure of the affected section and the implementation of a traffic detour.
An inspection by DPWH personnel found a cave beneath the road that appeared to extend toward the vicinity of a day care center.
The same portion of the highway had reportedly collapsed during the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Bohol in 2013. It was subsequently repaired and covered with asphalt.
Recent video footage showed large cracks across the pavement as the ground continued to subside.
The DPWH said continuous rainfall may have contributed to the movement and sinking of the soil.
A nearby tree was also found leaning toward the road and was considered a hazard to motorists. The DPWH has requested a permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to have the tree cut, but approval had yet to be issued.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) had also yet to conduct a detailed assessment of the area as of Wednesday.
A detour route has been established for motorists, particularly those coming from Tagbilaran City and heading toward the Taguihon National Highway.
The DPWH said it could not yet provide a timetable for the completion of repairs because the ground in the affected area remained unstable and continued to move.
