Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- The mayor of Alcala town in Cagayan on Tuesday criticized the lack of initiative and foresight by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to upgrade the Piggatan bridge, which connects Tuguegarao City and Aparri.</p><p>While Mayor Tin Antonio acknowledged that the overloaded trucks may have triggered the collapse of the bridge, she also asked why the 45-year old bridge, with a load limit of only 18 tons, as well as other road networks in their area, were not updated to cater to the needs of the times and that of an agricultural province.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/10/6/cagayan-s-piggatan-bridge-collapses-1743" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cagayan’s Piggatan bridge collapses</a></div><p>“Yun lamang po ang dinadaanan ng lahat ng klase ng sasakyan kasi yang bridge po ay nasa national highway, it’s the main artery of the province connecting the province to adjacent provinces like Ilocos and Isabela, to the region and all the way to Manila,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/10/7/3-trucks-cause-45-year-old-piggatan-bridge-to-collapse-dpwh-chief-0742" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3 trucks cause 45-year-old Piggatan bridge to collapse - DPWH chief</a></div><p>“Dapat po yung DPWH yung may foresight and planning, tinitignan nila yung economy, tinitignan nila yung mga need, para po hindi naman din maantala,” added Antonio.</p><p>According to Antonio, they have set up alternate routes for light and heavy vehicles but traffic buildup is inevitable.</p><p>“Yung build up ng traffic talagang meron kasi yung detour road, like yung Piggatan circumferential road ay barangay road lamang na ngayon ay kailangan i-accommodate ang heavy national traffic,” she said.</p><div><strong>AGRICULTURAL IMPACT</strong></div><p>Apart from being an inconvenience to motorists, Antonio said the incident also has a big negative impact on the livelihoods of farmers and truckers this harvest season.</p><p>“Ang pinoproblema ngayon ng mga hindi lang negosyante pati farmers lalo na ang farmers kasi napakababa ng presyo ng palay at tsaka ng mais ngayon edi kung idadagdag pa yung cost ng freight kasi mas malayong travel time, mas mahirap, lalong malulugi hindi lang mga negosyante pero lalo mga maliliit na farmers natin,” she said.</p><p>She noted that this may also cause a ripple effect to other areas relying on produce from Cagayan.</p><p>“Cagayan is one of the country’s rice and corn granaries so dito nagmumula yung mga produkto na kailangan din sa ibang mga lugar so siyempre meron ding ripple effect yan sa buong ekonomiya natin,” she said.</p>

<p>The mayor of Alcala town in Cagayan on Tuesday criticized the lack of initiative and foresight by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to upgrade the Piggatan bridge, which connects Tuguegarao City and Aparri.</p>

The mayor of Alcala town in Cagayan on Tuesday criticized the lack of initiative and foresight by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to upgrade the Piggatan bridge, which connects Tuguegarao City and Aparri.

Alcala mayor hits DPWH’s lack of foresight to upgrade Cagayan bridge

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Alcala mayor hits DPWH’s lack of foresight to upgrade Cagayan bridge

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 07, 2025 04:54 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 08, 2025 02:18 PM PHT

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Alcala

Cagayan

Department of Public Works and Highways

DPWH

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