A portion of the Forbes Park perimeter wall along EDSA-Ayala northbound collapsed Saturday evening, 8 August, blocking two lanes of the major thoroughfare and disrupting traffic in the area.

The collapse left only one lane passable, prompting the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to immediately deploy traffic enforcers and emergency response personnel to manage vehicles and clear debris.

“We dispatched our people because we saw that only one lane was left on EDSA,” Torre said.

Authorities were also checking whether anyone was injured in the incident. Torre said CCTV footage was being reviewed but was difficult to assess because of poor lighting.

“We are not sure if someone was injured. There is no indication so far that anyone was hurt,” Torre said.

Torre said the MMDA was coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to clear the debris and reopen the affected lanes as soon as possible.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, who inspected the collapsed structure with Torre, raised concerns over the materials used in its construction.

“If you look at it, this looks similar to what collapsed before. This is not cement. It is hardiflex — it is just drywall,” he said.

He said the construction method may have contributed to the collapse, particularly following prolonged heavy rain.

According to Dizon, soil appeared to have been placed between portions of the structure. Continued rain could have saturated the soil, increasing its weight and placing additional pressure on the wall.

“If it rains heavily and continuously, the soil will fill with water, become heavier and give way,” Dizon said.

Authorities also need to determine who commissioned and built the wall, Dizon said, noting that it was not immediately clear whether it was a government project, a structure commissioned by a homeowner or one built by Forbes Park.

“I don't know who had this built. We need to find out. Was this the government? Was it the owner of the house? Was it Forbes Park that had it built? We have to find out,” Dizon said.

“This is a big problem and we will investigate this,” he added.###