The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Tracy Cabrera
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) office in Isabela City is investigating possible corruption related to the collapse of a section of the newly completed Cabagan-Santa Maria bridge in Isabela province.
The bridge, which took nearly a decade to build, cost the government over one billion pesos. If it is proven that substandard materials were used in violation of the law, the NBI stated that those responsible would be held accountable.
Former Philippine National Police chief and returning senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson weighed in on the incident, emphasizing that those responsible for the potential substandard construction should face legal consequences.
The bridge, which cost P1.225 billion and was inaugurated in February of the current year, collapsed, resulting in six injuries and one missing person.
According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office II, a dump truck carrying boulders with an estimated gross vehicle weight of 102 tons was crossing the bridge when its third span, measuring 60 meters, gave way.
Spanning 990 meters, the bridge consists of 12 arch bridge spans and nine spans of pre-stressed concrete girders. It was built by R.D. Interior Jr. Construction Company, with construction beginning in November 2014. Initially scheduled for completion in 2019, the project underwent retrofitting before being officially finished on February 1.
DPWH officials stated that a thorough analysis is being conducted to determine the cause of the collapse, with experts from the Bureau of Design (BoD) and the Bureau of Construction (BuCon) assisting in the assessment.
Isabela Governor Rodolfo Albano dismissed speculations of corruption in the project and called for an investigation to establish the true cause of the collapse.
DPWH Cagayan Valley officer-in-charge Mathias Malenab explained that the bridge was designed to support a maximum capacity of 45 tons per vehicle, in accordance with existing policies. However, he noted that the passage of the overloaded truck created a “concentrated load,” which may have contributed to the failure of the bridge section.
Regardless of whether corruption played a role in the bridge’s collapse or if it was simply an unfortunate incident, Presidential Decree 1759 and Republic Act 6957 mandate compliance with minimum safety and construction standards in government projects.
(Use photo of collapsed bridge in Isabela)
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