President Marcos has led the partial reopening of the San Juanico Bridge to two-way traffic, with a 15-ton limit, assuring Eastern Visayas residents that the full 33-ton, two-way capacity will be restored next year once major repairs are completed.

During an inspection on Friday, Dec. 12, the President said engineers finished critical shoring and reinforcement works ahead of schedule, allowing cargo trucks—previously forced to reroute via Ro-Ro ports—to once again cross the bridge.

“Mabuti naman medyo napabilis ang trabaho at ngayon puwede na natin buksan ito for 15 tons na truck (Fortunately, the work was accelerated and we can now open it for 15-ton trucks),” he said.

“We are hoping for the total return of the bridge’s function… by the third quarter of next year,” he added.

The partial reopening eases months of logistical disruption across Samar and Leyte following the bridge’s emergency closure earlier this year, which the administration said was necessary after engineers found severe corrosion, missing bolts and pins, and decades of neglected structural components.

The President used the inspection to issue a pointed reminder to government agencies that failing to conduct routine maintenance has nationwide consequences.

“The retrofit costs us P1.1 billion. That is money that we could have saved if proper maintenance had been carried out on San Juanico,” he said, noting that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) already receives maintenance funding annually.

“Kung saan-saan napunta, kaya’t hindi na nag-inspeksyon kaya tayo nagkaganito (Funds went elsewhere, that’s why inspections were not done and we ended up like this),” he added.

Marcos emphasized that continuous, regular upkeep—not expensive retrofits—should be the norm moving forward. Engineers assured him that if maintenance is done correctly, the country will not need another massive rehabilitation in the future.

“Sana naman… matuto na tayo na napaka-importante na tayo ay continuing maintenance (I hope we finally learn how important continuous maintenance is),” he said.

Marcos also revealed that Tacloban City officials proposed allowing one-way passage for heavier vehicles during off-peak nighttime hours.

“Pag one way na lang, kahit 30 tons kayang tumawid pero one way lang (If it’s one-way, even 30-ton trucks can cross, but only one way),” he said, adding that the two LGUs on each side of the bridge would coordinate traffic management should this plan be approved.

The approach, he explained, could lower shipping expenses, reduce rerouting time, and ultimately help bring down the price of goods in Eastern Visayas.

President Marcos underscored that the bridge’s shutdown affected not only travel convenience but also regional commerce, food supply, manufacturing inputs, and retail operations.

“Ang laking sagabal sa (It was a big disruption to) commerce… the effect of that is much, much bigger than just the bridge,” he said.

He thanked engineers and DPWH personnel for accelerating retrofitting works, saying the project is now “very close” to the target timetable.

Built in 1969 and opened in 1973, the 2.15-kilometer San Juanico Bridge is the longest bridge spanning water in the Philippines, serving as the main artery between Samar and Leyte and a critical corridor for transport, trade, and family mobility.