Basey: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. stated that the San Juanico Bridge requires urgent rehabilitation due to years of neglect. He made this announcement after personally inspecting parts of the historic bridge.

According to Philippines News Agency, the President, while speaking to reporters at the Amandayehan Port, highlighted that although the bridge appears to be in good condition externally, experts from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have assessed that the steel structures underneath are rusted. The DPWH's inspection revealed the bridge's deteriorated state, which was unexpected due to inadequate maintenance over the years.

The Regional Development Council (RDC) has issued a resolution requesting PHP1.17 billion from the Office of the President to strengthen San Juanico Bridge. This funding aims to restore the bridge's original 33-ton capacity within the year. Currently, the bridge has a 3-ton load limit, leading to congestion and stranding of cargo trucks on both the Leyte and Samar sides since May 15, 2025.

To alleviate the situation, President Marcos urged shipping firms to introduce larger roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessels on the Amandayehan-Tacloban route. The goal is to deploy vessels that can accommodate 30 to 50 trucks and increase daily crossings to 500 trucks between Leyte and Samar.

At present, only two RoRo vessels operate on the new sea route, running a 12-hour schedule and each trip accommodating 20 to 30 cargo trucks. The Philippine Ports Authority has earmarked PHP400 million for the modernization and expansion of the Amandayehan Port in Basey, Samar this year, which is the nearest wharf for RoRo vessels traveling to and from the regional capital.

The Amandayehan Port, previously a fish landing center, commenced RoRo operations on June 7 following nearly two weeks of improvements by the DPWH.