NEARING completion, the wrath of typhoon Odette apparently spoiled the construction of another Cagayan de Oro bridge that will connect the seaside barangays of Bonbon and Macabalan.
The two-lane skyway located in Zone 9, barangay Bonbon is envisioned to open another route for public utility vehicles to ease the traffic backlog in downtown Cagayan de Oro.
It will also give easy access for residents in the barangays of Kauswagan, Bayabas, and Bonbon to the city port in Macabalan.
“Balik na sab nga trabaho-onon dakong kalangan kay mag-montar na sab kami sa agi-anan sa trailer truck nga gipapag sa maong bagyo,” one construction worker told Gold Star Daily.
He estimated the damage to reach a million pesos after the 50-foot railway made of iron and metallic element had disappeared after the rampaging waters of the Carmen river had toppled it late afternoon of December 16.
It was also the same month and day some 10 years ago when typhoon Sendong brought heavy rains and flooded Northern Mindanao, claiming thousands of lives particularly in the neighboring cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
Even the new tourist attraction, the ‘balsa’ or the floating cottage, was also adversely affected as a few of them owned by some barangay Bonbon officials were overthrown by the strong current off the unfinished bridge resulting in their ruin.
They were originally stationed off the seashore of barangay Bayabas and were safe sailed to Zone 9 seawaters across Macabalan for safekeeping purposes.
“Ako ang nagmaneho sa usa ka bangka dagko lig-on ang pisi nga gigamit paghikot sa mga balsa daplin sa mga kahoy pero ang uban nalabay gihapon sa kakusog nga hapak sa tubig,” boatman Islaw Timkang shared.
Timkang said typhoon Odette was a killer just like typhoon Sendong.
“Swerte lang kay hayag pa nagsugod ang pagtaas sa tubig, unya na leksyon na sab ang mga tawo sa Sendong maong naka pangandam. Ang kining tulay lang ang medyo walay s’werte,” he said.
