NEWS

By Sarwell Meniano and Roel Amazona | Philippine News Agency | January 2, 2025 12:34PM

ONLY ACCESS. The existing Biliran Bridge is the only link between the island province and the Leyte mainland in this undated photo. The construction of an alternate bridge in Biliran is on the pipeline to permanently address the impact of the deteriorating old bridge, the Department of Public Works and Highways said on Thursday (Jan. 2). (Photo courtesy of Biliran Island FB page)

TACLOBAN CITY – The construction of an alternate bridge that will connect Biliran province to the mainland of Leyte province is on the pipeline to permanently address the impact of the deteriorating old Biliran Bridge, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) bared on Thursday.

DPWH Biliran district engineering office chief, Irwin Antonio, said that constructing a new bridge had long been proposed by their office before the video of the “swinging” Biliran Bridge went viral.

“This is the only main link to Biliran province. It’s already in the pipeline, and it’s being studied now, looking at what the contributing factors are after which we will be funding the construction of a new bridge,” Antonio said in a phone interview.

The official recalled that in 2021, there was a PHP500 million proposed budget for inclusion in the 2022 appropriation, but it was not funded.

“To further enhance connectivity and reduce future risks, DPWH will continue to propose the construction of the parallel bridge,” he added.

The proposed parallel or twin bridge will not only provide an alternate route but also augment the carrying capacity by effectively adding more tonnage and lanes for traffic, according to the official.

Talks about building an alternative bridge have been revived since the last week of December after online videos showed that the bridge was swaying.

Since Dec. 23, heavy vehicles, including trucks carrying food supplies and fuel, have been prohibited from crossing the bridge.

Only light vehicles, including passenger vans and sports utility vehicles, were allowed to cross.

Citing results of the Dec. 24 inspection by the DPWH Biliran office, the technical engineers who conducted the inspection have noted defective bridge components under the deck slab, particularly on bridge stringers, steel cross bracing, and loose nuts and bolts.

“Among the factors that could have caused the wavelike pattern is the gustiness frequency of the wind, which approaches or is in resonance with the combined forces that impacted the bridge, such as moving loads, wind loads, and the own weight of the bridge,” Antonio explained.

The official said this effect is associated with the reduced stiffness of the bridge due to the age and corroded parts of the steel bridge caused by the sea breeze.

The DPWH clarified that the scope of works for the PHP50 million repair of the Biliran Bridge in 2022 was independent and did not bear any relation to the current damage to the Biliran Bridge.

Meanwhile, the DPWH, to address the disruptions, has advised using barge transport for cargo trucks and fuel tankers while major bridge repairs are underway. Repairs on the Leyte side of the bridge began Dec. 27.

Built in 1976, the Biliran Bridge is the island’s only land link to mainland Leyte.

Source: Philippine News Agency

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