Ground-level bridge on land goes viral; DPWH defends its construction

Photos of a bridge that was built over seemingly dry land and nearly level with the ground in Southern Leyte have been making the rounds on social media, but the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it had a logical reason for building the P23-million structure.

According to a report by JP Soriano for 24 Oras on Monday, residents have long been wondering why a bridge was created even though there is no river underneath.

The bridge was built along National Road in Bontoc in 2015 and measures 50 meters long and over seven meters wide.

DPWH-Southern Leyte said building a bridge was the only way to stop the road from repeatedly collapsing or sinking.

The agency said they have had to rebuild that part of the road three times in the past because of this issue.

Upon inspection, they learned that the road sank because there was a creek or waterway under the ground, making the ground soft.

They then decided to design the road like a bridge so that they could bury the foundation deep into the ground. The railings were added for the safety of passersby and vehicles in the event that the road sank.

The DPWH also hopes netizens will stop judging and poking fun at the infrastructure as they focus on improving roads that are frequently affected by landslides. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News