TACLOBAN CITY — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has recommended that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declare a state of calamity across the entire Eastern Visayas region following the severe impact caused by transport restrictions imposed after structural defects were discovered on the San Juanico Bridge.

This recommendation came after the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar, along with the regional capital Tacloban City, declared states of emergency in their respective local government units, citing the significant economic effects of the transport restrictions.

Completed in 1972, the San Juanico Bridge is the only land link between Samar and Leyte islands, serving as a vital artery of the Maharlika Highway that connects Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

On 15 May, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) imposed a three-ton vehicle load limit on the bridge after revealing significant structural compromises.

The NDRRMC explained that this restriction has halted the passage of heavy cargo vehicles, severely disrupting the transport of food, medicine, agricultural products, construction materials, and other essential commodities across the region.

According to the DPWH regional office, around 14,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily, with approximately 10 percent of these being cargo trucks — mostly transporting goods from Luzon to Mindanao or vice versa.

“The abrupt imposition of restrictions has stranded more than 200 vehicles and is projected to cause monthly economic losses ranging from ₱300 million to ₱600 million,” the NDRRMC said. These losses directly impact food and fuel supplies, healthcare services, commercial distribution, and regional trade.

The NDRRMC also highlighted that roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferry routes are insufficient to fully absorb the redirected traffic, exacerbating delays and causing further hardship to commuters and transporters.

The DPWH estimates that repairs and rehabilitation will cost around ₱7 billion over the next two years. They warned that any delay in fund release would further escalate the crisis.

Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Eastern Visayas has raised a “blue alert,” indicating a possible escalation of risks and the need for a rapid inter-agency response.

Under NDRRMC guidelines, a state of calamity may be declared when damage to lifeline infrastructure or facilities paralyzes local governments in delivering social services, and when disruption to those services is expected to last more than a week.