Imee trades barbs with House official amid San Juanico bridge condition

Senator Imee Marcos on Thursday criticized her cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, for the supposed lapses in maintaining the San Juanico Bridge, which connects the islands of Samar and Leyte.

This, as House spokesperson Princess Abante on Wednesday questioned what the senator has done for the 52-year old bridge—a prominent project of her late father, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

According to Abante, part of the advocacy of Romualdez, who represents Leyte’s 1st district, is to ensure that there are enough funds to support the programs and projects in his constituency.

“Makikita natin na tuloy tuloy naman ang naging budget allocation para sa San Juanico Bridge for its maintenance rehabilitation,” the House spokesperson said.

(We could see that the budget allocation for the San Juanico Bridge for its maintenance rehabilitation continued.) 

“Siguro si Senator Imee, since she is very much concerned, kailangan din natin tanungin ano naging ambag niya bilang senador na kasama naman sa tungkulin niya ang pag-ayos ng budget ng bansa dun sa pangangalaga ng San Juanico Bridge,” she added. 

(Since Senator Imee is very much concerned, we also need to ask what she has contributed as a senator whose role includes allocating a budget to preserve the San Juanico Bridge.) 

Marcos, in return, asked Abante why she is looking for her contributions as a senator, and not directly ask Romualdez who hails from Leyte province. 

“Ang San Juanico Bridge ay binuo sa administrasyon ng aking ama na simbolismo ng katatagan at pagtutulay ng kalinga ng pamahalaan papunta sa mga mamamayan. Ngayon, pinagdududahan ang tibay at serbisyo nito, pero ang hinahanapan ng [solusyon] ay ako pa rin,” the presidential sister said. 

(The San Juanico Bridge was built during my father's administration as a symbol of stability and bridging the aid of the government to the people. Now, its stability is being questioned, but I'm still the one being asked for the solution.) 

“Bakit ako na senador ang hinahanapan mo ng aksyon, yang amo mo diyan nakatira, bakit hindi mo tanungin? Lahat kayo sa akin nakatingin—sana ako na lang nag Presidente,” she added. 

(Why are you asking for solutions from me, when it is your boss who lives there? All of you are looking at me—perhaps I should have been the one who who ran for President.) 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued Proclamation No. 920, placing Eastern Visayas under a state of calamity for a year, to give way for the repairs on the bridge.

The President said the state of calamity took effect on June 5 and may be lifted earlier or get extended depending on the circumstances.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the recent assessment raised concerns about San Juanico Bridge's structural integrity. It temporarily prohibited vehicles weighing more than three tons from crossing the 2.16-kilometer bridge.

Despite the inspections of the bridge, the senator alleged that Romualdez and the DPWH did not do anything to maintain it. 

“P451.4 milyon lamang ang alokasyon para sa rehabilitasyon ng tulay mula taong 2018 hanggang 2025. Ako pa mismo ang nagtanong kung saan linaan ang bilyong pondong nakalagay sa GAA - P4.7 bilyon para sa iba't ibang proyekto sa Maharlika Highway,” Imee Marcos said. 

(Only P451.4 million was allocated for the rehabilitation of the bridge from 2018 to 2025. I even asked where the billions of funds included under the GAA—P4.7 billion for various projects for the Maharlika Highway— will be allocated.) 

“Bilyon ang linustay na pera para sa mga daanan na masayang pinagkakitaan ng kung sinu-sino pero ang mahalagang tulay ni hindi iniinspeksyon at puro pintura lang ang ginawa,” she continued. 

(Billions of money supposedly for the roads were wasted and used by others, but they won’t even put focus on an important bridge.)  

GMA News Online sought a comment from the House leadership and the DPWH and will update this story once they respond.

Budget amendments 

In response, Abante said she was “a bit surprised” by Imee Marcos’ statement, stressing the senator should have known that the Senate plays a vital role in the national budget process.

“If she truly believes the funding for the San Juanico Bridge rehabilitation is insufficient, she had every opportunity to propose amendments on the Senate side. After all, that’s the point of bicameral deliberations—may bersyon ang House, may bersyon ang Senate [the House and the Senate have their own versions],” Abante said. 

“It’s a bit puzzling to hear criticisms now, as if the Senate had no power or responsibility in crafting the budget. Kung may pagkukulang, hindi ba dapat nagtulungan tayo noon pa? Unless of course, mas madali talagang mag-presscon kaysa mag-amendment,” she added. 

(If the budget was lacking, weren’t we supposed to work together before? Unless of course, it's really easier to hold a press conference than to make amendments in the budget.) 

GMA News Online also sought a comment from the DPWH and will update this story once it responds. —RF, GMA Integrated News