Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Article (news)

Melanie Bingco, ABS-CBN News

 

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The word war continues between Sen. Imee Marcos and House of Representatives spokesperson Princess Abante on supposed lapses in the maintenance of San Juanico Bridge that connects Leyte and Samar islands.Abante on Friday said records show the House had allocated enough funding for rehabilitation of the bridge since 2018, even before Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez was elected House speaker. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/6/20/san-juanico-bridge-to-reopen-to-12-ton-vehicles-in-december-marcos-1334">San Juanico bridge to reopen to 12-ton vehicles in December: Marcos </a></div>She said allocations were made in the following amounts:  • 2018: P27 million
  • 2019: P22 million
  • 2021: P105 million
  • 2022: P90 million
  • 2023: P150 millionShe said there will be a proposal in the 2026 budget for funding of P400 million for maintenance of the San Juanico Bridge.&quot;Ito ay initiative ng House of Representatives. Gusto din natin malaman ano din ang initiative ng Senado. Tutal, gusto nila malaman kung ano ang nangyayari. Nasa posisyon sila para gumawa ng solusyon. Hindi maghanap ng sisi,&quot; she explained.(That is an initiative of the House. We want to know what the initiative of the Senate will be. After all since they want to know what happened. They are in a position to propose solutions, not assign blame)Abante stressed that Sen. Marcos can help the chambers of Congress work together to resolve issues with the decades-old bridge.Congress only allocate funds, which agencies in the executive branch use to implement projects and programs.<div>LACK OF FUNDING?</div>Sen. Marcos on Thursday said that her father former President Ferdinand Marcos had put up the bridge and now people are looking to her for solutions for its upkeep.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/6/8/basey-port-opens-to-roro-ships-plying-samar-tacloban-route-1508">Basey port opens to RoRo ships plying Samar-Tacloban route </a></div>&quot;Bakit ako na senador ang hinahanapan mo ng aksyon, &#x27;yang amo mo diyan nakatira, bakit di mo tanungin?&quot; she added.(Why are you asking me, a senator? You should be asking your boss who lives there)House Speaker Romualdez and Sen. Marcos are cousins although she has distanced herself from her family and has cast her lot with the Duterte clan.The Department of Public Works and Highways last month imposed a three-ton maximum axle load limit on all vehicles passing the bridge after the government identified “vulnerabilities in the bridge’s components.”Sen. Marcos has criticized the allocation of P451.4 million between 2018 and 2025 for rehabilitation, claiming Romualdez and the Department of Public Works and Highways had neglected the bridge.&quot;Ako pa mismo ang nagtanong kung saan linaan ang bilyong pondong nakalagay sa GAA — P4.7 bilyon para sa iba&#x27;t ibang proyekto sa Maharlika Highway,&quot; Sen. Marcos said.(It was me who asked where the billions in the General Appropriations Act — P4.7 billion for various projects on the Maharlika Highway)The 3,379-kilometer Maharlika Highway — also called the Pan-Philippine Highway — connects Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.  She claimed that San Juanico Bridge had been neglected and had only been painted over.Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez meanwhile asked why the blame was being placed on the DPWH when the Regional Development Council had repeatedly requested funding for the San Juanico Bridge repair. Gomez asked if Congress may have overlooked funding said requests.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — the senator&#x27;s sister — on Friday said he set a deadline for the reopening of the San Juanito bridge on December.He warned officials may get sacked if they do not meet the deadline by year-end.Marcos Jr. earlier declared a state of calamity in Eastern Visayas, where the bridge that connects Samar and Leyte  is located, to speed up repair and rehabilitation.

House Speaker Romualdez and Sen. Marcos are cousins although she has distanced herself from her family and has cast her lot with the Duterte clan.

House Speaker Romualdez and Sen. Marcos are cousins although she has distanced herself from her family and has cast her lot with the Duterte clan.

House spox, Imee Marcos trade jabs over San Juanico Bridge

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House spox, Imee Marcos trade jabs over San Juanico Bridge

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 20, 2025 06:52 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Imee Marcos

San Juanico Bridge

ABSNews

Princes Abante

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