Officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and other government agencies conducted an inspection at the San Juanico Bridge and alternative routes connecting the Provinces of Samar and Leyte.

DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon inspected the situation of two ports in the said provinces as alternative passageways now that vehicular traffic is limited at the San Juanico Bridge due to rehabilitation works.

Dizon was with Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Santiago, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Robert Bernardo, and local officials.

The alternative routes will help pad further delay in the delivery of basic goods such as food, and other necessities such as fuel to the two provinces while rehabilitation works are enforced.

The officials visited Tacloban Port in Tacloban City, Leyte and Amandayehan Port in the Municipality of Basey, Samar.  

The officials would want to ensure that Amandayehan Port will be operational in the next two weeks.

“What we are going to do is we are going to use two ports - Tacloban port on the Leyte side and Amandayehan on the Samar side, para magagawa tayo ng RoRo route back and forth pabalik-balik to bring that heavy trucks with goods from Samar to Leyte and Leyte to Samar. So that’s the most critical part right now,” Dizon said.

Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said that the impact of the bridge closure to the local economy led to the declaration of a state of emergency in the province.

“May epek gyud talaga sa economy but we are hoping that this is just temporary and ma-resolve kinihay DPWH together with PPA and DOTr,” Tan said.       

(via GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak Desk)