President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the partial reopening of the San Juanico Bridge to two-way traffic, now accommodating vehicles up to 15 tons. He assured residents of Eastern Visayas that the bridge’s full 33-ton, two-way capacity will be restored by the third quarter of next year once major repairs are completed.
During his inspection on Friday, December 12, the President announced that engineers had finished critical shoring and reinforcement works ahead of schedule. This milestone allows cargo trucks—previously forced to reroute via Ro-Ro ports—to once again cross the iconic bridge.
“Mabuti naman medyo napabilis ang trabaho at ngayon puwede na natin buksan ito for 15 tons na truck,” Marcos Jr. said.
He added, “We are hoping for the total return of the bridge’s function… by the third quarter of next year.”
The partial reopening eases months of logistical disruption across Samar and Leyte following the bridge’s emergency closure earlier this year, which the administration said was necessary after engineers found severe corrosion, missing bolts and pins, and decades of neglected structural components.
The President used the inspection to issue a pointed reminder to government agencies that failing to conduct routine maintenance has nationwide consequences.
“The retrofit costs us P1.1 billion. That is money that we could have saved if proper maintenance had been carried out on San Juanico,” he said, noting that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) already receives maintenance funding annually.
“Kung saan-saan napunta, kaya’t hindi na nag-inspeksyon kaya tayo nagkaganito,” he added. (Argyll Geducos)
