Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. graces the ceremonial switch-on of the San Juanico Aesthetic Lighting Project on October 20, 2022. The 2.16 km San Juanico Bridge, which links the provinces of Samar and Leyte, was built during the administration of the President’s father, the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and was funded by Japan’s War Reparations Program. PPA Pool

Article (news)

MARCOS-BRIDGE

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<p> MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has set a December deadline for the reopening of the iconic San Juanico Bridge for 12-ton vehicles, as government authorities scramble to rehabilitate the structure linking the provinces of Samar and Leyte. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/5/30/pcci-suggests-appointing-san-juanico-bridge-rehab-czar-1848">PCCI suggests appointing San Juanico Bridge rehab czar</a></div><p>“Ang schedule namin, dapat by December, before the end of the year, ang pwede nang gamitin na sasakyan hanggang 12 tons,” Marcos said in an interview.</p><p>Marcos warned officials they may get sacked if they fail to meet the deadline by year-end.</p><p>“That&#x27;s a test. Sabi ko, pag hindi nyo natapos yan, tatanggapin ko yung resignation nyo,” he said.</p><p>The 2.16-kilometer bridge has been under a strict 3-ton vehicle load limit since May after a DPWH assessment found the structure had already deteriorated and was in need of critical repairs.</p><p>Marcos has declared a state of calamity in Eastern Visayas to hasten the repair and rehabilitation of the iconic bridge and mitigate the impact on residents of Samar and Leyte. </p><div><strong>IMPACT</strong></div><p>The President, however, notes that the impact of the crisis has been felt as far as Mindanao. </p><p>“Ang naging problema, ang tumatawid mula Samar-Leyte, Leyte-Samar, bawat araw is 1,400 na truck. Kaya’t yun ang kailangan natin bigyan ng paraan na makatawid pa rin. Because like you say, it&#x27;s affecting everyone,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/6/2/house-leader-seeks-probe-on-san-juanico-bridge-woes-2127">House leader seeks probe on San Juanico bridge woes</a></div><p>“Hanggang Mindanao nagrereklamo ang tao. Kasi yung mga fast food chains, yung mga supply nila hindi makakarating. Laging delayed. Naubusan sila ng gamit. Naubusan sila ng supply.”</p><p>The government has since implemented a system prioritizing the transport of perishable goods under the supervision of the Philippine Coast Guard, Marcos said, as he apologized to the affected residents of Leyte and Samar. </p><p>“Well, I&#x27;m sorry na nangyari ito. At alam ko yung nararanasan ninyo, nararanasan ng ating mga transport operators, nararanasan ng ating mga negosyante. Kaya’t asahan ninyo, talagang minamadali namin na maayos kaagad ito.&quot;</p><div><strong>NEGLECT</strong></div><p>The President, meanwhile, blamed decades of neglect for the current condition of the San Juanico Bridge, saying that past officials failed to conduct critical maintenance work on the critical structure.</p><p>“Ang San Juanico Bridge, lahat ng mga tulay, kailangan nagme-maintenance yan, major maintenance yan every three years... Nagulat ang aming mga engineers. Sabi niya, malala na pala ito. Dahil yung maintenance sa nakaraang ilang dekada, hindi naman ginawa,” he said.</p><p>“Sabi ko, &#x27;Bakit? Wala bang record yan?&#x27; May record naman. Lahat ng job order, completed. Pero tignan mo, puro kalawang. Hindi nila ginawa. Kapag tinanong ko na naman yung mga local, sabi niya, hindi namin nakikita yung mga engineers na nag-aayos yan. Never namin sila nakita,&quot; he added.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uEZLX3w_HtM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Marcos warned officials they may get sacked if they fail to meet the deadline by year-end.</p>

Marcos warned officials they may get sacked if they fail to meet the deadline by year-end.

San Juanico bridge to reopen to 12-ton vehicles in December: Marcos

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San Juanico bridge to reopen to 12-ton vehicles in December: Marcos

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 20, 2025 01:34 PM PHT

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