Manila: The Regional Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell: Task Force San Juanico: The Task Force San Juanico has opened the Dampigan temporary passenger terminal in Sta. Rita, Samar, dedicated as a drop-off and pick-up point for Tacloban-bound passengers affected by the San Juanico Bridge access limit.

According to Philippines News Agency, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Eastern Visayas director Lord Byron Torrecarion stated that the terminal is among key interventions in the ongoing crisis arising from the limited load capacity of the vital bridge that links the islands of Leyte and Samar. Torrecarion mentioned that the terminal in Dampigan village, which opened on June 1, now serves as the pick-up point for bus passengers from Samar Island heading to Tacloban City. From the temporary terminal, passengers are transported for free via government vehicles to a temporary terminal in Tacloban.

Torrecarion noted that the terminal is now assisting in managing the flow of commuters, complemented by Libreng Sakay vehicles to ensure safe and free transport. The temporary terminal, located just four kilometers away from the San Juanico Bridge, aims to help decongest the highway leading to the bridge.

The terminal was established through a partnership between the inter-agency task force and the provincial government of Samar, spearheaded by Governor Sharee Ann Tan. To support terminal operations and ensure round-the-clock visibility, the OCD regional office has augmented 30 units of 500-watt solar lights, illuminating the area and nearby checkpoints.

The San Juanico Bridge has been closed to vehicles weighing more than three tons since May 15, as part of the two-year rehabilitation of the iconic bridge, which was completed in 1973 and serves as the only link from Samar to Leyte. This bridge forms part of the nautical highway linking Luzon to Mindanao.