TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is closely monitoring the potential impact of the ongoing crisis at the San Juanico Bridge on the region’s tourism industry, which is still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DOT-8 Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that while the region posted a positive tourism performance at the start of 2025—with a 7% increase in arrivals compared to the same period last year—the situation at the San Juanico Bridge is a growing concern.
In the first quarter of 2025, Eastern Visayas recorded over 300,000 tourist arrivals, significantly higher than the more than 226,000 arrivals during the same period in 2024.
“We are monitoring the efforts of government agencies to repair the San Juanico Bridge because this issue is already having an effect on our tourism industry,” Tiopes said.
To better understand the scope of the impact, the DOT is conducting a survey among tourism stakeholders in the region, particularly those operating on both sides of the bridge.
“We are asking stakeholders to share the actual effects they are currently experiencing and their projections for the coming months. We know that repairs to the San Juanico Bridge may take time,” she added.
Among the immediate impacts identified is the disruption in the supply chain, particularly for goods and food items needed by tourism establishments for daily operations.
Tiopes emphasized that understanding the current and potential impacts will allow the DOT to develop appropriate intervention plans, in coordination with local government units and the private sector.
To further address the issue, the tourism department is set to hold dialogues with stakeholders from both Leyte and Samar to craft both short-term and long-term plans aimed at mitigating the effects of the load restrictions at the San Juanico Bridge.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
