Dennis Gaviola

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Paige Javier

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre called for an investigation on the imposition of load limits on San Juanico Bridge, citing lack of proper coordination with stakeholders.In a privilege speech on Monday, Acidre described the restrictions on the bridge that connects Leyte and Samar, as a “breakdown in preparedness.”&quot;The closure of the San Juanico bridge is not merely a regional inconvenience, it is a national failure that exposes the fragility of our infrastructure system and the negligence of those entrusted with safeguarding them. And it could have been prevented,&quot; he said. &quot;I am filing a resolution calling for a congressional inquiry into the current state of the San Juanico Bridge and the actions—or inaction—of DPWH and other concerned agencies. But resolutions alone won’t solve this. What’s needed now is decisive, coordinated action,&quot; the lawmaker added.Last May 8, the DPWH imposed a 3-ton maximum axle load limit on all vehicles passing the bridge after the government identified “vulnerabilities in the bridge’s components.”Acidre noted the necessity of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) public advisory limiting access to the bridge, but he said it “came far too late.”&quot;The San Juanico bridge did not age overnight. Its structural problems were not a surprise. Yet DPWH waited for results of a consultant study before taking any real action. And by then it was too late,&quot; he said. &quot;There were no contingency measures in place, no alternative routes ready. No emergency logistics plans. This is negligence plain and simple,&quot; the lawmaker added.Acidre asked why the DPWH and concerned agencies did not coordinate with local governments prior to issuing the load limit advisory.He said ordinary Filipinos like farmers, small business owners and patients waiting for produce and medicine to arrive are now most affected.&quot;Businesses were caught off guard. Local government units were left scrambling. National agencies had no ready roadmap for rerouting, for regulating traffic, for handling freight, or even for keeping stranded travelers safe,&quot; he said.&quot;The people of Eastern Visayas are not angry because the bridge is being repaired. We welcome this rehabilitation. What we cannot accept is that the insensitivity—the utter disregard—of those entrusted to plan this repair,&quot; the lawmaker added. Acidre called on concerned government agencies to join hands to mitigate impacts of the bridge closure.&quot;Government agencies must work together—not in silos, not in press releases, but in action. They need to set up interim transport solutions, fast- track permits, manage port congestion, prevent overpricing, provide basic support to stranded motorists, and ensure our medical and food supply chains don’t collapse. And DPWH must answer, not just with updates, but with accountability,&quot; he said.The lawmaker said the San Juanico bridge issue is not just a regional crisis, but may extend to bigger problems if not solved now.&quot;This is a national emergency that demands utmost urgency, complete accountability, and steadfast commitment from every level of government and all sectors of society. The lives of our people and the stability of our economy now hang in the balance,&quot; Acidre said.Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez claimed previous Regional Development Council reports have included requests for funding for the San Juanico bridge repair.&quot;I just feel bad that parang pinagbibintangan natin ngayon na parang may neglect yung DPWH. Because in the last RDC it was brought up that every year DPWH will report ano yung kailangan ayusin sa atin. Also, andun lagi ang San Juanico bridge,&quot; he said. &quot;Never sila nagka-remiss sa pag-report, sa pagsabi na ang San Juanico bridge kinakailang i-retrofit, kailangan ng repair, kailangan ng maintenance. Siguro kailangan natin tanungin sa kongreso, bakit hindi natin napondohan yung ni-rerequest nila?,&quot; Gomez added.Acidre agreed with Gomez but zeroed in on the supposed lack of coordination.&quot;The position of this representation is about having to impose the load restriction on San Juanico bridge without prior preparation and without prior notice to the concerned stakeholders,&quot; he said. &quot;The moment DPWH felt that they needed to take in a consultant to make a structural integrity assessment of the bridge, should have started the need to draw contingency plans. It should have already beckoned DPWH to consider the worst scenario,&quot; Acidre added. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) earlier called on government to appoint a San Juanico bridge rehabilitation czar to coordinate plans and action to mitigate the economic impact of the repairs.While the rehabilitation is necessary, PCCI said the closure has caused &#x27;significant disruptions&#x27; to commerce, local economy and mobility.The government has organized a taskforce aimed at speeding up rehabilitation of the bridge.It is eyeing the construction of a new bridge from Sta. Rita to Tacloban, which is expected to begin in 2027.

House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre called for an investigation on the imposition of load limits on San Juanico Bridge, citing lack of proper coordination with stakeholders.

House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre called for an investigation on the imposition of load limits on San Juanico Bridge, citing lack of proper coordination with stakeholders.

House leader seeks probe on San Juanico bridge woes

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House leader seeks probe on San Juanico bridge woes

Paige Javier,

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 02, 2025 09:27 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Jude Acidre

San Juanico Bridge

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