Taking into consideration the situation of farmers, fisherfolk, and small-time truckers, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered that perishable goods be given priority to use the San Juanico Bridge while access remains limited.
“Gagawa kami ng sistema para mauna ‘yung mga perishable goods,” President Marcos assured residents of Eastern Visayas during an inspection on Wednesday.
In a media interview at the Amandayehan Port on Wednesday, President Marcos expressed concern over the sentiment of a small-time trucker who said the vegetables he and other truckers were supposed to deliver got spoiled as they needed to wait days for a roll-on/roll-off (Roro) ferry.
“Kausap namin ‘yung isang driver ng truck, ang dala nila gulay. Tatlo, apat na araw naghihintay. Siyempre hindi naman refrigerated van ‘yan. Kaya wala, nasisira ‘yung kanilang mga produkto,” said the President.
The Chief Executive said he has directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to provide a schedule for increasing the load limits on the San Juanico Bridge, emphasizing the need to expedite its technical assessment and present a clear rehabilitation timeline for the vital link between Samar and Leyte.
For his part, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said that initial bridge repairs would allow 3-ton vehicles to pass. The load capacity would be gradually increased to 4 tons, 5 tons and to 12 tons before December.
“Tacloban is such a center of commerce. Ang daming naapektuhan. Kaya minamadali ko na ang (Department of) Public Works (and Highways) na magsabi sa atin kung ano ang maaaring masabi na schedule,” the President said.
On Wednesday, President Marcos visited the San Juanico Bridge and Amandayehan Port in Basey, Samar, to oversee government response efforts to the emergency closure of the bridge, which has disrupted transportation and trade across Eastern Visayas.
President Marcos said the bridge shutdown was sudden but necessary to ensure public safety after a structural inspection uncovered severe damage in the unseen parts of the bridge.
“Maraming nagtatanong, bakit hindi napagplanuhan nang mabuti ito? The reason is, noong iniinspeksyon ‘yung tulay para sa rehabilitation, ang daming nakita na delikado. Sinabi kaagad ng mga engineer, ‘Isara natin ito dahil babagsak ito pagka minalas tayo,’” the President said.
Images shared during the inspection revealed extensive corrosion, buckling, and salt erosion in San Juanico Bridge’s structural foundation — damage that was not visible from above.
President Marcos noted that inconsistent maintenance practices over the years have worsened the deterioration.
“Iyong tulay, maganda pang tingnan if you look at it from outside. Pero sa ilalim, kalawang na lahat… Mukhang hindi talaga nagawa ang maintenance kada tatlong taon, gaya ng dapat,” the President said.
To mitigate the effects of the closure, especially on supply chains and local livelihoods, President Marcos ordered the deployment of RoRo vessels, expansion of port capacity, and the prioritization of perishable goods in the transport queue. | PND
