Tacloban: The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Tacloban-Leyte, Inc. has asked the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Eastern Visayas to push for the immediate rehabilitation and structural upgrading of Calbiga Bridge in Samar province. PCCI Tacloban-Leyte president Eugene Tan appealed to RDC Chair and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla to endorse the request to concerned national government agencies and the Office of the President.

According to Philippines News Agency, the recent increase in the load capacity of vehicles allowed to cross the San Juanico Bridge has significantly eased transportation constraints and reduced operational costs for the business and logistics sectors. However, the existing limitations of the Calbiga Bridge have now become a critical bottleneck. With the bridge's current limitations, heavy trucks are forced to take alternative routes of about 250 kilometers or use roll-on/roll-off shipping, adding an estimated PHP10,000 to PHP15,000 per trip in logistics expenses.

These added costs place a significant burden on businesses, contractors, and suppliers operating in Eastern Visayas and other regions that depend on Calbiga Bridge as a key transport link. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) imposed a 15-ton gross vehicle weight limit on the bridge on Oct. 27, 2025, due to structural deterioration caused by age and repeated overloading. Since then, heavy vehicles have been rerouted through Eastern Samar via the Buray-Taft Road to reach Tacloban City.

The group said swift action would improve regional mobility, ensure public safety, and support economic growth in Eastern Visayas. Calbiga Bridge is one of the steel truss bridges in Eastern Visayas where the DPWH has imposed load limitations this year due to structural concerns. The DPWH Samar 2nd Engineering District previously requested a PHP140-million budget for the bridge's retrofitting and repair.