President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to accelerate the rehabilitation and retrofitting of the San Juanico Bridge, citing the mounting inconvenience to residents, businesses and commuters due to ongoing restrictions on the iconic structure.

Speaking during the launch of Phases 2 and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) project in Palo, Leyte on Monday, Marcos announced that over P500 million has been allocated to restore the bridge’s load limit to 12–15 metric tons by December.

The funding aims to ease traffic and logistical bottlenecks that have severely affected the flow of goods and mobility in Eastern Visayas.

“I know you can all feel the inconvenience here in Leyte due to the condition of the San Juanico Bridge. The lines are long and the travel is slow. Many people are being affected,” Marcos said in Filipino.

He acknowledged that while the rehabilitation has begun, more work is needed to fully address the disruptions caused by the structural restrictions.

Due to safety concerns, the bridge is currently under load restrictions, resulting in significant delays —particularly in the transport of essential goods.

According to recent Philippine Coast Guard reports, the movement of perishable cargo has improved, with waiting times reduced to one to two hours. Non-perishable goods now face delays of two to four hours — a significant improvement from earlier this year when trucks reportedly waited up to four days to cross.