Close to P400 million have been appropriated by Congress for the rehabilitation and repair of the 52-year-old San Juanico Bridge since 2018, House Assistant Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said on Thursday, June 5.
Acidre made this revelation amid the concerns of his House colleague, Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez, that solons could have been "remiss" in tending to the budgetary needs of the aging bridge.
Gomez aired his concerns in plenary Monday, June 2 amid the partial closure of San Juanico Bridge--the only land route connecting Leyte and Samar in the Visayas.
The current state of the bridge is placing huge stress on both executive and legislative officials--attesting to the huge importance of the structure to commerce and other facets of life in the region.
Acidre assured the public that Congress has long prioritized funding for its repair and upkeep.
“Since 2018, Congress has consistently allocated funds for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the San Juanico Bridge. This is a matter of public record, and we welcome any review of it," he said.
Based on data from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the following amounts were appropriated: ₱27 million in 2018; ₱22.2 million in 2019; ₱105 million in 2021; ₱4.3 million, for emergency repairs; ₱90.6 million in 2022; and ₱150 million in 2023. This totalled to P399.1 million.
“These appropriations reflect Congress’ continuing commitment to infrastructure development in Eastern Visayas. Speaker Martin Romualdez, who hails from Tacloban and represents Leyte’s 1st district, has always championed long-term investments in connectivity, including the proposal for a second San Juanico Bridge,” Acidre said.
During plenary session Monday, Gomez stood up to interpellate Acidre, who said in a privilege speech that the ongoing repairs at the bridge could have been done sooner to avoid the disruption to the way of life there.
Gomez took up the cudgels for DPWH and wondered if Congress failed to respond to the agency's budgetary requests.
"Because as reported, every year, every budget year, nirerequest nila yun. Baka kung sakaling hindi naibigay yun, baka tayo yung nag-remiss. Baka nakalimutan lang natin. Baka hindi natin nakita na talagang kailangan palang pondohan ang pagpapaayos ng San Juanico Bridge, Mr. Speaker," he said.
(Because, as reported, every year, every budget year, they request it. If, by any chance, it wasn’t granted, perhaps we were the ones who remissed. Maybe we simply forgot. Maybe we failed to see that funding the repair of the San Juanico Bridge was truly necessary, Mr. Speaker.)
Acidre says that while funding has been regularly provided, the recent challenges are rooted in implementation and coordination among concerned agencies. “The current situation calls for clear communication, forward planning, and stronger collaboration on the ground."
“We respect the concerns raised by our colleague, and we believe that rather than assign blame, this is an opportunity to work together and respond more effectively as one region,” Acidre said.
Last May 8, the DPWH imposed a three-ton axle load limit on the San Juanico Bridge after identifying structural vulnerabilities. The restriction has led to travel delays and logistical disruptions in the region.