Escudero calls for review of policies on overloaded truck

Following the partial collapse of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero is urging a comprehensive review of existing laws and policies regulating overloaded trucks and trailers on national roads and bridges.

Escudero emphasized that while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is investigating the incident, a separate policy review is necessary to assess the effectiveness of current regulations and identify gaps in enforcement.

“We must find out how the truck that reportedly weighed 102 tons was able to get on the bridge that has a 45-ton maximum capacity. I am certain that this is not an isolated incident, and a lot of overloaded trucks are able to go about their business without being flagged,” Escudero stated.

The Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge partially collapsed on February 27, injuring six people. The DPWH reported that the bridge had a 44-ton capacity, yet a 100-ton truck attempted to cross it. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited the site a week later and attributed the incident to a "design problem." 

However, the bridge's engineer refuted this claim, maintaining that the structure complied with the Bridge Code of the Philippines.

Escudero suggested practical measures to prevent truck overloading, including banning the installation of reinforcements on truck beds.

“Pinagbabawal dapat ng gobyerno, ng LTO (Land Transportation Office) na lagyan ng anumang reinforcement ang bed ng mga truck para maiwasan automatically ‘yung overloading ng mga truck at kung mangyayari man ‘yun, dapat managot ‘yung mga may-ari ng truck,” he added.

(The government, specifically the Land Transportation Office, should prohibit such modifications. If violations occur, truck owners must be held accountable.)

He further stressed that road and bridge load capacities should be based on the thickness of the concrete used in their construction, ensuring trucks adhere to established weight limits.

Escudero also announced that the Senate will require an accounting of expenses incurred from infrastructure damage during the 2026 national budget deliberations.

“Once we start deliberations on the proposed 2026 spending plan of the DPWH and the DOTr  (Department of Transportation) later this year, we will require an accounting of the expenses incurred as a result of infrastructure damaged due to overloading and the effectiveness of the policies and programs to prevent overloading,” Escudero said.

“We must put an end to these avoidable expenses,” he concluded. — DVM, GMA Integrated News