After decades of talk and ticking safety risks, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is putting his foot down as he orders the long-overdue rehabilitation of the aging Guadalupe Bridge to finally begin under his watch.

“Ang rehabilitasyon din ng Tulay ng Guadalupe ay sukdulan na ring kailangan. Nasa Senado pa lamang ako, pinag-uusapan na ito. Hindi ko na papayagang tumawid pa ito ng isa pang Administrasyon. Kaligtasan na ng publiko ang nakataya,” Marcos said during his State of the Nation Address on Monday.

The President assured the public that the bridge will not be closed to traffic during the repairs.

Instead, temporary detour bridges will be built on both sides to ensure continuous traffic flow.

“Hindi po isasara ang Guadalupe Bridge. Gagawa muna tayo ng detour bridge sa magkabilang gilid bilang pansamantalang daanan. Kapag nagawa na at binuksan na ang detour bridge, doon pa lamang sisimulan ang trabaho sa main bridge,” he said.

The Guadalupe Bridge, a key link along EDSA that spans the Pasig River, has long been due for structural rehabilitation.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has flagged its condition as critical, raising concerns about its ability to withstand continued heavy usage and potential earthquakes.

Marcos underscored that under his administration’s “Build Better More” program, the safety and welfare of the public will be the top priority.

“Sa Build Better More, higit ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng mamamayan. Ang mga proyekto, tama dapat ang disenyo. Mataas dapat ang kalidad. Natatapos dapat sa takdang oras. At naaalagaan at namementinang mabuti,” he said.

He also warned government agencies against substandard work and corruption, pointing to past infrastructure failures such as the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela, which collapsed shortly after completion despite taking a decade and P1 billion to build.