TACLOBAN CITY – Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez has called for greater transparency and accountability in the wake of the San Juanico Bridge problem, as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan rejected a proposal to restore the bridge’s 33-ton load capacity.
Speaking during a recent meeting, Romualdez expressed concern over the sudden imposition of a 3-ton weight limit on the bridge starting May 15, 2025—restrictions that have severely disrupted mobility and economic activity across Eastern Visayas.
“That bridge has survived for 52 years—overloading, heavy equipment, and harsh weather—yet now it’s suddenly restricted?” the mayor asked, questioning the timing, process, and technical basis of the weight limitation.
He also raised alarm over the increasing reliance on private consultants in government projects. “If private consultants are the ones studying, planning, and choosing contractors, what’s left for the government agency to do?” he added.
The Regional Development Council (RDC) earlier requested P1.17 billion from the Office of the President to strengthen the bridge and restore its former capacity.
However, Secretary Bonoan rejected the proposal, saying increasing its load capacity to 33-tons would also involve repairing the bridge’s deck which would result to a higher cost.
Bonoan said that retrofitting work would only involve about P450 million which is expected to start within this week and is to be completed before end of this year.
In the meantime, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed shipping lines to deploy larger roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels along the Amandayehan-Tacloban route to minimize disruption. The Philippine Ports Authority has also committed P400 million to upgrade Amandayehan Port, which now accommodates cargo traffic diverted from the bridge.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
