San juan: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is guaranteeing the completion of the retrofitting works in San Juanico Bridge on or before December this year, with current preparatory works ahead of budget release.

According to Philippines News Agency, DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Tabacon expressed confidence that the PHP520-million budget for the modification of the iconic bridge will be downloaded soon, in compliance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive. Marcos had earlier ordered an acceleration of the retrofitting activities to increase the bridge's load capacity from the current three tons to between 12 and 15 tons by the year's end.

Tabacon highlighted ongoing preparatory work while awaiting the release of disaster risk reduction management funds, which will allow a focus on retrofitting once the budget is available. This week, the DPWH began transporting frames from DPWH Central Visayas for the massive portal shoring for the bridge. This refers to the use of large, modular, and heavy-duty shoring systems to provide temporary support during the repair work.

Regular meetings with contractors are being held to assess their capabilities to strengthen the bridge. An allocation of PHP520 million aims to restore the bridge's load limit to 12 to 15 tons by December 2025, which is expected to alleviate the current traffic and logistical delays. This amount will be sourced from the 2025 National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management funds, requested by the Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council.

During a visit to Palo, Leyte, on July 7, Marcos acknowledged the mounting public frustration due to the restrictions on the San Juanico Bridge, linking Leyte and Samar provinces. The current three-ton load limit, imposed since May 15, has caused logistical hurdles by barring trucks and buses from crossing the 52-year-old, 2.16-kilometer bridge. As a result, several ports in Leyte and Samar have been opened as alternative routes for cargo trucks.