TACLOBAN CITY – Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan appealed to Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez to declare a state of calamity or emergency following the recent load limit imposed on the San Juanico Bridge, which affects the transport of goods in the province.

“Though this is not much of a concern in Tacloban, maybe few of the businesses have declined, but for Samar side, it is not just the businesses that are affected, even the essential needs are affected,” Tan said.

“So I am asking Mayor Alfred to be humane enough, to declare a state of calamity, a state of emergency in Tacloban, to help the province of Samar and or somehow the entire island of Samar.”

The governor explained that with the limited capacity that may be accommodated at Amandayehan Port in Basey, Samar, there is a need to construct a docking area.

“If there is a declaration from Tacloban City, the national government will have leverage or leeway, particularly DOTr and PPA to do away from the regular process of procurement to fast-track the implementation of whatever is necessary to address that gap,” she said.

The province reportedly loses P10 to P20 million in the economy apart from the P300 million per month in the agriculture sector as businessmen cannot transport their goods going to Leyte.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Samar on May 20 issued a resolution declaring the entire province under state of emergency to anticipate and curb the unfavorable effects of the repair of the San Juanico Bridge.

In a press conference, Romualdez emphasized the need for a second opinion on the assessment of the bridge’s condition.

“We have the ports, why build another one? We already have two ports there by PPA. One needs a small rehabilitation but it’s not much, it’s just minor.”