Tacloban City, Leyte
June 11, 2025

Following transportation challenges brought by the recent restrictions on the San Juanico Bridge, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. personally observed the bridge’s current status and inspected the repair plans and rehabilitation efforts as he visited Tacloban City.

The President, together with officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), received concise updates on measures and interventions being undertaken to address connectivity challenges. These include extensive corrosion, fatigue and buckling that have been identified in the five-decade-old bridge which was completed in 1973.

According to DPWH, the closure will allow the government to increase the bridge’s load capacity to at least 10-12 tons after its enhancement completion within a five-month timeframe. Once completed, the bridge is expected to accommodate 33 tons worth of mobility such as large SUVs, passenger buses, commercial vehicles and trucks compared to the existing three (3) ton limit of the San Juanico Bridge.

President Marcos Jr. has declared a state of calamity in Eastern Visayas for one year to expedite measures to rehabilitate and strengthen the San Juanico Bridge, as well as to mitigate the impacts this may cause to the residents of the Provinces of Leyte and Samar. Through Proclamation No. 920 dated 5 June 2025, the Chief Executive has directed concerned government agencies to utilize all efforts and necessary resources in ensuring the timely repair of the iconic bridge.

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