MAASIN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways - Southern Leyte District Engineering Office (DPWH-SLDEO) has procured brand new heavy equipment in an effort to enhance the efficiency of their operations, particularly in highway maintenance and disaster response operations.

Among the newly-procured equipment are seven (7) units of six-wheeler dump trucks (6.0 cubic meters), one (1) unit 12-wheeler self-loading truck with 5 tons boom crane, and one (1) unit stake truck.

“Southern Leyte province was categorized as vulnerable to typhoons, having experienced several devastating typhoons in the previous years. These heavy equipment will not only be utilized for project activities but also for immediate response during typhoons and other natural disasters that may affect the province,” said Rojas.

It can be recalled that the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in December 2021 and Tropical Storm Agaton in April 2022 left vast tracts of destruction in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao wherein Southern Leyte was one of the provinces that had been severely devastated, which displaced families and damaged houses, properties, and vital infrastructures.

DPWH-SLDEO will deploy the said equipment to vulnerable sections to facilitate quick response to any eventualities in the future, as well as for immediate clearing operations and maintenance activities within the jurisdiction of the first district of Southern Leyte. (DPWH-SLDEO)