DPWH: Sales Road sinkhole likely formed due to man-made causes

Yesterday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported the discovery of a water-filled pothole along Sales Road in Pasay City, which gradually collapsed and grew to an estimated three-meter wide and three-meter deep hole.

This caused a major concern for the safety of motorists in the surrounding area as the hole was directly underneath the NAIAX-Skyway infrastructure. Apparently, it’s likely to be more of a man-made cause, rather than a natural occurrence.

In an interview with DZBB, DPWH regional director Loreta Malaluan said the pothole could have been caused by a leak from a Maynilad water pipeline, which saturated the soil and led to its collapse. Vacuum trucks from the Skyway management have been sent to siphon the water from the pothole, while Maynilad shut their water valves to avoid further water leaks.

The eroded portion which covers Gate 3 to Gate 4 of Villamor Airbase remains closed to traffic today while the hole gets temporarily filled with soil and asphalt. Eastbound traffic is limited to a single lane, while a zipper lane has been established on Andrews Road to manage traffic flow. Both the MMDA and Pasay TPMO personnel are deployed in the area to oversee and assist motorists.

Further checks are likely to be done in the coming days as the road structure could be compromised due to the leak.