Heavy equipment, materials arrive for temporary Tarlac bridge

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Monday said heavy equipment and materials for the construction of a temporary Bailey bridge following the collapse of Agana Bridge in Tarlac City have arrived at the site.

“Ngayon po, ang pinaka-priority natin ay mapadaanan natin ulit ang Agana Bridge. Nag-mobilize na po tayo ng mga kagamitan at materyales. Dumating na po onsite,” DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said in an interview with Balitanghali.

(Right now, our top priority is to make Agana Bridge passable again. We have already mobilized the necessary equipment and materials, and they have arrived on-site.)

Dizon said construction could begin at noon on Monday.

“Medyo rumaragasa pa rin ‘yung ilog kaya medyo hindi pa tayo makaka-full blast sa trabaho pero hindi po tayo titigil hangga't hindi natin ma-reconnect itong Agana Bridge,” Dizon said.

(The river is still flowing quite strongly, so we cannot yet go full blast with the work. But we will not stop until we reconnect Agana Bridge.)

Agana Bridge in Barangay Tibag collapsed at around 8:32 p.m. on Saturday, August 29, as heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) continued to batter the province.

The collapse occurred a day after a portion of the Aquino Bridge also gave way.

Dizon said the DPWH would prioritize the construction of the temporary Agana Bridge before starting work on Aquino Bridge.

“Mauuna tayo dito sa Agana dahil ito ‘yung mas maiksi at mas mababaw, pero pagka gumanda na rin ang panahon at medyo humupa na ‘yung tubig sa ilog dito sa Tarlac City, pati ‘yung Aquino Bridge sisimulan na rin natin,” the secretary said.

(We will prioritize Agana Bridge because it is shorter and the river is shallower. Once the weather improves and the water level in the river here in Tarlac City subsides, we will also begin work on Aquino Bridge.)

Dizon attributed the collapse to the age of the two bridges, saying they should have been retrofitted or replaced much earlier.

“Mahigit 40 hanggang 50 taon nang nakatayo, no. So napakaluma na talaga. Dapat ito, matagal nang naayos, o na-retrofit, o napalitan. Pero hindi po nagawa ‘yan,” he said.

(The bridges have been standing for more than 40 to 50 years, so they are really quite old. They should have been repaired, retrofitted, or replaced a long time ago, but that was not done.)—MCG, GMA News