Tacloban City: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed approximately 2,078 family food packs (FFPs) to truckers and porters stranded due to the 3-ton load limit imposed on the San Juanico Bridge. This bridge serves as a crucial link between Luzon and Mindanao.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DSWD also provided 443 bottles of water, each containing 6.6 liters, and PHP14,000 worth of financial assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program. The department reported that in total, more than PHP1.2 million worth of food and non-food items, as well as financial aid, were distributed to the stranded individuals in Leyte and Samar, many of whom traveled from other regions.

The disaster response management division of the department remains on alert at designated help desks located at both approaches to the bridge in Leyte and Samar. These help desks are prepared to offer immediate assistance to those in need. The DSWD continues to collaborate with other members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and local social welfare offices to enhance service delivery to those affected by the crisis.

For over two weeks, hundreds of truckers bound for Leyte and Mindanao have been waiting in Basey, Samar, and Tacloban City for opportunities to cross the San Juanico Strait via the Amandayehan Port. This port became operational on June 7 following nearly two weeks of upgrade work. However, despite the new roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessel route, many trucks remain stranded due to the limited carrying capacity of the barges and the restricted operating hours of the port.

Additional RoRo routes include those from Calbayog City in Samar to Ormoc City in Leyte, and from Matnog, Sorsogon, to Villaba, Leyte. The Eastern Visayas Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council noted that approximately 14,000 vehicles cross the 2.16-km San Juanico Bridge daily, with about 10 percent being cargo trucks.