San Juanico bridge partially reopens, full rehab set next year — Marcos

The iconic San Juanico Bridge, connecting Samar and Leyte, has reopened to two-way traffic after several months of repair work, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Friday.

The bridge is currently operating under a 15-ton load limit while full rehabilitation works are ongoing, with completion expected next year. 

During an inspection of the bridge in Tacloban City, Marcos emphasized the importance of proper maintenance for critical infrastructure to prevent socio-economic disruptions to affected communities.

“I’m very happy that I can say now it is very close to our deadline. The San Juanico Bridge is partially finished. It will be finished next year so that the bridge will be able to take again the load of 33 tons going both ways,” he said.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported that portal shoring works, which provide temporary structural support, have been completed. These measures ensure the bridge can safely handle two-way traffic under a controlled 15-ton load while permanent strengthening and retrofitting continue.

Marcos previously visited the bridge and the Amandayehan Port in Basey, Samar, in June to oversee government response following the emergency closure that disrupted transportation and trade across Eastern Visayas. 

During that visit, he instructed the DPWH to raise the load limit to 12 metric tons by December and called for accelerating rehabilitation efforts.

The President noted that the bridge’s closure was necessary after a structural inspection revealed severe damage in hidden areas, the result of decades of neglect.

“I hope that this is a lesson to us and of all of those in the future whose responsibility will be to look after our thoroughfares, to always remember the experience of San Juanico Bridge that if we had only maintained it, we would have saved a great deal of problems,” he said.

He also highlighted that the DPWH’s annual maintenance budget should have covered regular upkeep of the bridge and other vital infrastructure.

Constructed in 1969 and inaugurated in July 1973, the 2.15-kilometer San Juanico Bridge remains a lifeline for Eastern Visayas, facilitating the movement of people, goods, and services across the region.