PBBM admin to build new, longer bridge near San Juanico Bridge – DPWH

San Juanico Bridge in 2022. (File Photo By Patrickroque01/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Marcos administration will be constructing a new and longer bridge that is adjacent to the existing San Juanico Bridge, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Wednesday.

DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the major rehabilitation works for the San Juanico Bridge prompted the government to come up with a new bridge project, which will be about 2.6 km. long.

“The new bridge is now under preparation. In fact, this will be one of the flagship projects under this administration and ito po ay mapi-finance ng (this will be financed by the) Japanese government,” Bonoan told Palace reporters.

“It’s now under detailed engineering design, we hope that the detailed engineering design will be completed by 2026 and thereafter, the construction will follow immediately,” he added.

The San Juanico Task Group (SJTG) was earlier formed to coordinate security, traffic flow and safety protocols, following concerns over the structural integrity of the San Juanico Bridge, which connects the islands of Samar and Leyte.

Constructed in 1969 during the administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., the San Juanico Bridge spans 2.16 km. and remains a vital economic and transport artery in Eastern Visayas.

A three-ton weight limit was imposed on the structure after engineers raised red flags about its load-bearing capacity.

Bonoan said immediate retrofitting on the segments of the San Juanico Bridge that were “found to be deteriorated and also dangerous for heavy loads” is now underway.

“We are expediting the process. In the meantime, nakipag-coordinate po kami (we have coordinated) with the local governments, the Philippine Ports Authority and doon sa (the) PNP (Philippine National Police) for the control of traffic,” he said.

“’Yung (The) passengers [who] have to cross the bridge, unfortunately they will have to stop on one end and they will transfer to another—to the same bus company on the other end. Pero ‘yung (But the) transport po, ang (the) passengers are being shuttled free of charge. So, ito po ‘yung (these are the) arrangements for the time being.”

Bonoan said the Philippine Ports Authority is making alternative routes from Luzon going to Leyte without passing the San Juanico Bridge to provide a safe access to motorists.

He said the load limit on the San Juanico Bridge may also increase to a maximum of 10 tons by the last quarter of 2025, once the retrofitting of the segments is completed.

“In the meantime, we are doing our best na kung matapos po namin kumpunihin ‘yung (that if we finish repairing the) deteriorated sections doon sa (on the) approaches, we might be able to increase the load limit sometime within the year,” Bonoan said.