Rehabilitation works on the iconic San Juanico Bridge, connecting Samar and Leyte provinces, is almost done as the structure is now open to trucks weighing 15 tons.  

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has vowed completion of restoration works on San Juanico Bridge by 2026. He aspires for regular maintenance of the structure every three years.

“Mabuti naman, medyo napabilis ang trabaho at ngayon, puwede na natin buksan ito for 15 tons na truck so malaking pagbabago. Makakatawid na 'yung mga cargo truck natin na dati hindi nakatawid,” Marcos, Jr. said.

However, he pointed out that had regular maintenance been done to San Juanico Bridge, retrofitting would not have been necessary.

He emphasized the significance of San Juanico Bridge in invigorating the economy in the Visayas. The economy has been affected, he said, when vehicles were prohibited from traversing the bridge while it is yet being repaired.

The government spent P1.1 billion in the retrofitting of the bridge. The President underscored that the money could have been used for other projects had regular maintenance been pursued.

“The retrofit...P1.1 billion. That is money that we could have saved if proper maintenance was carried out on San Juanico. We would not have to do any of this kung 'yung every three years iniinspeksyon, inaayos (we would not have to do any of this if inspections and repairs were done every three years),” Marcos, Jr. added.

The San Juanico Bridge, the third longest bridge in the country, was constructed in 1969 and was opened to public use beginning in 1973.