THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) yesterday said about P300 million to P500 million is needed to repair the damaged San Juanico Bridge, one of the country’s longest bridges, which connects Samar and Leyte.
Last week, the OCD said an assessment conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways showed potential damage to some structural components of the bridge.
OCD administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said the bridge needs an “emergency repair.”
“When we asked for the rough estimate (needed for the repair) … they said its between P300 to P500 million,” Nepomuceno said in mixed English and Filipino during an interview with radio dzBB, citing information from a meeting attended by OCD officials and concerned government agencies last Saturday.
Nepomuceno said the amount is a “very rough estimate and there is not much details.”
Nepomuceno also said that as far as he knows, the Department of Public Works and Highways has no budget for repair of San Juanico Bridge, which has a length of 2.16 kilometers.
“We’re studying if this can be taken from our NDRRM (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management) fund. But we don’t want to volunteer it,” he said.
He noted that last year, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) had to request the Office of the President for additional DRRM funds because of calamities that struck the country. The OCD is the implementing arm of the NDRRMC.
“We ran out of funds last year. Fortunately, the Office of the President helped in late November or December,” he said.
He said the NDRRM fund stands at around P16 billion now, down from P20 billion in January.
Last week, the OCD announced the implementation of restrictions on the use of San Juanico Bridge after a DPWH assessment showed potential damage to some structural components of the bridge. Among others, only light vehicles weighing below three tons are permitted to cross the bridge to “safeguard the public and prevent any tragedy.”
Nepomuceno said Samar province has recommended a declaration of state of calamity due to the effects of the restrictions. He said he still has to review the recommendation.
Authorities have formed the San Juanico Task Force to oversee security, safety, and operational coordination in the area. The task force is headed by the OCD.
The OCD said pedestrians will no longer be allowed to cross on foot, effective yesterday. It said coasters and light vehicles will ferry people to “ensure safety and operational security.”
“We ask everyone to understand and work with us. Our top priority is the safety of travelers and residents. We will lift these restrictions only when we are fully confident that the bridge’s structural integrity is secure,” said Nepomuceno in a statement.
Nepomuceno said the President has emphasized that the safety and resiliency of roads and bridges are “non-negotiable.”
“We are committed to preventing tragedies, like the collapse of the Isabela Bridge, from happening again,” said Nepomuceno, referring to the Cabagan-Sta Maria Bridge incident last February that left six people injured.
