Metro Manila, Philippines – An Isabela province official on Friday said authorities opened the Sta. Maria-Cabagan Bridge, which recently collapsed and injured several people, in 2018 to motorcycles and bicycles despite finding “structural flaws” in the infrastructure.
Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) Public Safety Officer Watu Foronda said local authorities allowed light four-wheeled vehicles to pass the bridge only after the retro-fitting was completed in October 2024.
“2018 pa gawa na ‘yan but they found structural flaws, meron siyang structural issues. So di nila pinadaanan ng malalaking sasakyan,” Foronda told NewsWatch Plus on Friday, Feb. 28.
“Motorsiklo na pinaka mabigat na dumadaan doon kasi nga may structural issues,” he added.
[Translation: It was done in 2018 but they found structural flaws, he has structural issues. So they didn’t let big vehicles pass. Motorcycles are the heaviest vehicles that pass because there are structural issues.]
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the bridge collapsed from the 102-ton load of a dump truck that passed at around 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27.
In contrast to Foronda’s statement, DPWH said the bridge was only “completed” on Feb. 1, 2025. It said the 990-meter bridge construction began in November 2014 and the cost for its construction is at P1.225 billion.
Former government officials questioned the project, including senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson who said “substandard” materials were possibly used to build the bridge.
“Ano saysay ng tulay kung hindi nakakadaan ang truck? Kung motorsiklo lamang (What’s the use of a bridge if trucks can’t pass? If only motorcycles can),” Lacson said.
“I don’t want to preempt whatever investigation is being conducted or will be conducted pero malamang (but obviously), substandard ‘yung materials,” he added.
DPWH said it has tapped the Bureau of Design and Bureau of Construction at the central office “to conduct further evaluation and assessment.”
