BAGUIO CITY – The municipal government of Itogon is requesting the Office of the President to allocate P200 million to erect a bridge and prevent dangerous river crossings following the death of two media practitioners in a flash flood.

“The proposed bridge will serve multiple upland communities, improve access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and government services, and facilitate the safe and efficient transport of agricultural products,” read Municipal Council Resolution 146-2026.

The council passed the measure on March 31 and Mayor Bernard Waclin approved it on April 6.

The structure will provide a safe route to Tabu Elementary School and its surrounding village, ending the community's reliance on crossing the Agno River on foot or by vehicle.

The resolution followed the accident on March 27 when a sudden surge of water swept away a vehicle carrying five photographers who volunteered to document an elementary school graduation across the river. Two of the photographers died.

“The Agno River is prone to sudden and dangerous surges due to typhoons, upstream rainfall, and water releases from Binga Dam, rendering existing low-water crossings unsafe,” the resolution stated.

Local officials noted that the Baguio-Bua-Itogon-Dalupirip National Road serves as a vital route connecting Barangay Dalupirip to nearby areas, but access remains severely constrained in Sitio Tabu.

The proposed bridge is considered essential for the national road to function as an inter-regional link between Benguet and Pangasinan.

Joan Ongchangco, whose husband died in the March 27 incident, expressed support for the project.

“My six-year-old daughter lost a father. If a bridge is constructed, we will be happy because no other life will be lost in that river,” she said.

Ongchangco added that while the loss is painful, the family does not blame anyone and seeks the peace of mind that safer infrastructure would bring to the community.