TARLAC CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday announced that the national government will provide P300 million to the local government of Tarlac City for the reconstruction of the damaged Aquino and Aganan bridges, which serve as vital thoroughfares for residents and motorists.

Without the bridges, travel time from Gerona to Tarlac City could take up to an hour and a half, prompting Marcos to call for the reconstruction to be completed as soon as possible.

“So right now, ang ginagawa dito ay nagbubuo ng bailey bridge at pansamantalang mapalitan ang nasirang section na natangay ng ilog. Siguro within 1 week, pwede na ang pedestrian crossing. So within 2 weeks siguro pwede na tayong mabuksan para makadaan ang mga sasakyan,” the President told reporters in an ambush interview.

He said vehicles weighing less than 10 tonnes will be allowed to cross the bridge.

Marcos described the incident as unprecedented, saying the 70-year-old bridge could not withstand the strong floodwater currents during the weekend monsoon rains.

“This bridge has been standing since just after the war. So 70 years old na ito. Sa buong karanasan ng Pilipinas ngayon lang tayo nakatikim ng ganitong klaseng ulan, ganitong klaseng pagbaha dahil nagbabago ang panahon dahil sa climate change. But never mind, we will continue to adjust,” the President said.

“We will be giving P300M to the local government dahil ito ay local bridge. Kaya sila kailangan ng magkatrabaho dito. Siyempre tutulungan natin, tutulungan sa technical aspects that will help them in everything, every way that we can,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that it had retrieved the body of one of the five occupants of a vehicle that plunged into the Tarlac River following the partial collapse of Aganan Bridge.

In a statement, the PCG said the body was recovered in the waters off Barangay Pugaro, Dagupan City, Pangasinan, on Sunday.

Two other passengers remain missing.