DPWH: Recent damage on Biliran Bridge only areas underneath deck slab

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) clarified that the recent damage to Biliran Bridge was limited to areas underneath the deck slab.

In a statement released Sunday, 29 December, the DPWH said its Biliran District Engineering Office will propose the repair or replacement of damaged steel bridge components under the deck and the replacement and tightening of bolts.

“These fall outside the scope of the previous maintenance and improvement plans,” the agency explained.

“The severity of this damage highlights the need for additional funding and a broader review of infrastructure resilience,” it added.

The 50-year-old bridge recently gained attention online after posts showed the infrastructure swaying.

Biliran Province Governor Gerard Espina, on 27 December, declared a state of calamity to enable swift government interventions.

Currently, only light vehicles are permitted to use the bridge, while buses must unload passengers before crossing.

Constructed in 1975, the Biliran Bridge is the only land access connecting the entire Biliran Province to Leyte.

In 2022, the DPWH completed the repair of Biliran Bridge, which amounted to P50 million.

The DPWH, however, clarified that the scope of works undertaken during that time “were independent of and do not bear any relation to the current damages to Biliran Bridge.”

“Specifically, the previous repair focused on the asphalt overlay of the entire bridge span, retrofitting through carbon fiber sheets on substructures except the foundation, additional steel plate on top chord not on the entire span, and repainting and replacement of noted missing bolts,” the DPWH said.

The agency also assured the public that all previously allocated funds “were utilized as intended.”

“Public safety remains our top priority, and together with the help of the Province and Local Government of Biliran, the office commits to ensure the safety of the travelling public, as well as minimize any disruption of transport of essential goods and services,” it added.