CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A group advocating the preservation of the Ysalina Bridge in this city thanked the Department of Public Works and Highways for canceling its plan to demolish and replace the iconic structure.

YSALINA Bridge (Franck Dick Rosete)

Engr. Raul Ilogon of the Kagay-an Heritage Advocates said that the DPWH will only repair the Ysalina Bridge based on discussions during their recent Zoom meeting with the agency, city government officials, and other stakeholders.

Heritage advocates thanked government officials as the new development implies that they are listening to the people's call.

Roshelle Novie Cabrido, spokesperson of the DPWH-Northern Mindanao, confirmed the abolition of the initial plan as they will now be conducting a major repair, particularly on the bridge’s corroded carriageway that poses danger to the people.

“However, the steel component of the bridge will stay,” Cabrido said on Thursday, February 15, adding that they also considered the proposal to build a sidewalk and bicycle lanes.

During the meeting, Ilogon said that there was also a proposal to build an anti-suicide fence on the bridge, but according to the DPWH-10 spokesperson, it is not yet included in the project’s component.

However, the DPWH-10 said it can possibly be considered, noting past alleged suicide incidents in other bridges here.

Heritage advocates have opposed the plan by the city government to make the two-lane bridge a four-lane structure after the DPWH announced that it has weakened and not as strong as before.

The DPWH said that the plan is not yet final as they are considering the appeal from people concerned about the bridge’s historical value.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/18/4-lane-ysalina-bridge-project-not-yet-final-dpwh

The DPWH-10  pushed for replacement of the bridge after a representative of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines brought up the move of registering the structure as a cultural property.

DPWH records said the bridge is still named Carmen Bridge.

The past city council approved proposed Ordinance No. 7301-2000 naming the Carmen Bridge as Gov. Pacienco Ysalina Bridge in honor of the former chief executive of Misamis Oriental where Cagayan de Misamis, the former name of Cagayan de Oro City, was a component municipality. Ysalina was instrumental in the construction of the bridge in 1947.

It was stated under the ordinance that the unofficial name of Carmen Bridge was inappropriate, considering that it is not entirely part of Barangay Carmen.

Ilogon asserted that the structure was already registered in the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP) as Ysalina Bridge during the administration of former Mayor Oscar Moreno and confirmed by an NHCP representative during the meeting.

Cabrido said the issue with the bridge’s name is within the city government. 

The DPWH is just waiting for the central office in Manila to update the proper term indicated in the project’s P165-million budget as its purpose needs to be changed from replacement to major repair. This revision must be done as the agency cannot proceed without indicating the correct purpose.

The DPWH proposed a P165-million budget for the project but it needs to be corrected first from replacement to major repair.

Ilogon said that this development cannot be credited to his group alone.

It is a community effort by all stakeholders, he said. “On the part of DPWH and some of the local officials, they just lacked information. Now, we supply them with historical information. Fortunately, they accepted it.”

Nicolas Aca Jr., head of the City Historical Commission of Cagayan de Oro, backed this development and vowed that the commission is willing to help DPWH with the necessary assistance in implementing the repair.

The DPWH thanked heritage advocates for their active participation and assured that they would always listen to the concerns of the public prior to implementing their projects.