News
Palace sees need to inspect bridges built under past admin
By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency
FILE: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday (March 6, 2025) inspects the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge that collapsed on Feb.
27, 2025. (Screenshot from RTVM FB page via PNA)
MANILA – Malacañang is seeking the inspection of all bridges built under the watch of former president Rodrigo Duterte to ensure their structural integrity and safety.
Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH) and concerned local government units (LGUs) would inspect the bridges constructed as part of the “Duterte Legacy” to make sure that they are not “under design.”
“Malamang po iyan din po ang gagawin ng administrasyon, i-inspect po hangga’t maari lahat po, with the help of DPWH, with the help of LGUs, lahat po ng mga tulay, lalung-lalo na po ang mga naisagawa sa panahon ni dating pangulong Duterte (That is probably what the administration will do, inspect everything as much as possible, with the help of DPWH, with the help of LGUs, all the bridges, especially those built during the time of former President Duterte),” Castro said in a Palace press briefing.
“Dahil hindi po natin alam kung nagiging under design din po.
Kailangan po lahat hangga’t maaari ay ma-inspect (Because we do not know if they are also under design. Everything as much as possible needs to be inspected),” she added.
Castro made the statement, after Marcos inspected the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela province and vowed to build a new bridge.
In a media interview after the inspection, Marcos said the design of the collapsed bridge is “poor” and “very weak.”
Marcos said he would first focus on the construction of the new bridge before going after those who are liable for the incident.
Castro echoed Marcos’ pronouncement, saying Marcos will fix the problem first but will demand accountability for the collapse of the Isabela bridge.
“Unang-una po syempreng gagawin ng administrayon eh imbestigahan po ito, imbestigahan simula ng ito ay nagka-design up to the time kung bakit pa ito ay itinuloy kung hindi na maganda ang design noong 2014. Bakit tinapos pa ito sa panahon ni dating pangulong Duterte at sinasabi pa nilang Duterte Legacy ito (First of all, of course, the administration will investigate this, investigate from the time it was designed up to the time why it was continued if the design was no longer good in 2014. Why was it even finished during the time of former President Duterte and they are still calling it the Duterte Legacy),” she said.
“Hindi lamang po doon hihinto. Kung may liability din po ang sinuman sa kasalukuyang adminsitrasyon, dapat din pong managot. Pero iyan po ay iimbestigahan kung meron mang pinagkakitaan dito not once, not twice, not many times. Aalamin po ito ng Pangulo. Aalamin po ito sa pamamagitan po nang pag-iimbestiga (It won’t stop there. If anyone in the current administration has liability, they should also be held accountable. But that will be investigated to see if there is any profit in this not once, not twice, not many times. The President will find out about it. It will be found out through investigation).”
