House spox asks Imee: What have you done for San Juanico bridge?
ON-SITE BRIEFING President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is briefed by Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan (back to camera) and DPWH Eastern Visayas director Edgar Tabacon on the condition of San Juanico Bridge during an inspection on June 11, 2025. — Photo from Philippine Information Agency-Eastern Visayas
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos has been quizzed by the House of Representatives’ spokesperson as to what she has done for the San Juanico Bridge, which is currently under rehabilitation, after she called out the supposedly low budget allocated for the 1970s-era bridge.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, lawyer and House spokesperson Princess Abante asked Marcos what she has done for San Juanico Bridge since she is very much concerned about the bridge’s welfare.
A three-ton axle load limit has been placed on the San Juanico Bridge since May 8 after several structural vulnerabilities were identified. Rehabilitation is expected to reach two years, with the project being worth P900 million.
“Perhaps we should ask Senator Imee, since she is very much concerned, about her contribution as a senator — which is part of her duties in fixing the country’s budget — in the maintenance of San Juanico Bridge,” Abante said.
According to Abante, there has been sufficient funding for the bridge even before House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez — who is also Leyte’s 1st District representative — was elected to lead the chamber.
“The budget allocated for the San Juanico Bridge is on public records,” Abante said.
“Since 2018, even before Romualdez became Speaker and as a Tacloban (native), as the representative for that region, it has been part of his advocacy to ensure that there are funds for programs and projects for his constituents,” she added.
Marcos, sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and daughter of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. under whom the San Juanico Bridge was established, claimed that only a small budget was allocated to the rehabilitation of the structure.
Marcos claimed that the budget allocated for the bridge was good only for repainting.
This is not the first time that the issue was raised by a lawmaker. Before the session of the 19th Congress adjourned, Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez asked why the government is only acting now regarding the San Juanico Bridge repair — noting that the problem may have been on the part of Congress, which is tasked to appropriate funds to different projects.
READ: House leader seeks San Juanico probe
Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, whose organization is based in Eastern Visayas, meanwhile clarified that the House has allocated funding for the repair of the San Juanico Bridge, adding that the problems encountered recently were borne out of implementation issues in the past years.
Acidre, in a statement last June 5, said that data from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) show that the following amounts were placed under San Juanico Bridge’s rehabilitation and maintenance:
- P27 million in 2018
- P22.2 million in 2019
- P105 million in 2021
- P4.3 million for emergency repairs
- P90.6 million in 2022
- P150 million in 2023
“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,” Acidre said.
“The current situation calls for clear communication, forward planning, and stronger collaboration on the ground,” he noted. “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.”
READ: Acidre: House funded San Juanico Bridge repair
The San Juanico Bridge, which spans 2.16 kilometers and connects Samar and Leyte, is one of the longest bridges in the Philippines and has played a vital role in the economic development of Eastern Visayas.
Last May 16, a blue alert status was raised over the Eastern Visayas region after a weight limit was imposed on vehicles passing through the 52-year-old bridge.
The Office of Civil Defense, meanwhile, has established the San Juanico Task Group to manage security, safety, and operational coordination while repairs are being done.
Recently, President Marcos declared a state of calamity over the region, to ensure that the repair and rehabilitation of the San Juanico Bridge will be hastened and so that measures to mitigate the impact on residents of Samar and Leyte will be available.
READ: Marcos declares state of calamity in Eastern Visayas
Marcos also assured Eastern Visayas residents that government will begin extending more assistance to those affected by the repair and rehabilitation of the over five-decades old bridge. /das
