ILOILO CITY – Paliwan Bridge in Antique province has reopened, less than two years after it partially collapsed due to tropical storm "Paeng."

AN aerial view of the reopened Paliwan Bridge in Antique province on June 6, 2024. A portion of the bridge collapsed during the onslaught of tropical storm ‘Paeng’ last October 2022. A parallel bridge is also under construction. (Art Segura)
The bridge that connects the towns of Laua-an and Bugasong was opened in a ceremony on Thursday, June 6.
Present were Antique Rep. AA Legarda, Mayor Aser Baladjay of Laua-an, Vice Mayor Susan Escote of Bugasong, and Assistant Regional Director Al Fruto of the Department of Public Works and Highways-6.
The bridge collapsed last October 2022 and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the DPWH to fast-track its repair during an October 2023 visit to Antique.
It was rebuilt with a P66.4-million funding from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2023.
A parallel bridge is also under construction.
The DPWH recommended that a parallel bridge must be built as the existing is nearly 50-years-old.
Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda announced a P300-million budget for construction of a new Paliwan Bridge.