Philippines: Iconic San Juanico bridge shut down to heavy trucks, only light vehicles allowed

Manila: Officials sought the public's "patience and cooperation" following the shutdown of a major bridge to heavy trucks, in order to carry out badly-needed repairs.

In response to structural concerns at the iconic San Juanico Bridge, which connects the islands of Samar and Leyte in eastern Phillippines, strict enforcement of a vehicle weight limit was ordered to ensure continued connectivity between the two islands while safeguarding motorists' safety.

Heavy vehicles and trucks weighing more than 3 tonnes must now use roll-on/roll-off (Roro) vessels to cross the narrow San Juanico Strait.

Vital to trade

As one of the most iconic engineering landmarks in the country, the San Juanico Bridge remains vital to trade, mobility, and tourism in Eastern Visayas.

The order, made by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and imposed from Monday (May 12, 2025), follows a technical assessment by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which found “structural vulnerabilities” in parts of the 2.16-kilometer bridge.

Construction of San Juanico Bridge, once the country’s longest sea-spanning structure, was started in 1969 and completed in 1973.

Weight limit and traffic controls

The DPWH Region 8 has imposed a 3-metric-tonne gross vehicle weight limit on the San Juanico Bridge.

Only light vehicles — passenger vans and smaller four-wheeled cars — are allowed to cross. These must traverse one at a time along the centerline and comply with on-site traffic instructions.

Barriers had been placed at both ends of the bridge to prevent access by cargo trucks and buses, which are now temporarily banned to reduce further wear and tear.

Roro routes activated to ease transport disruptions

To maintain the flow of goods between Samar and Leyte Islands, President Marcos also directed the activation of Roro routes through existing ports, including:

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) emphasised that these measures aim to both protect critical infrastructure and prevent transport disruptions in Eastern Visayas.

“Our goal is to prevent incidents and ensure our infrastructure can withstand natural hazards,” said OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno on May 11.

He also noted that the President’s directive was part of a broader push to make Philippine infrastructure more resilient, especially in the wake of disasters like the Isabela Bridge collapse and Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, which battered the region but left San Juanico structurally intact.

The bridge is set to undergo a ₱900-million ($16 million) "total" rehabilitation to strengthen structural integrity, Ma. Margarita Junia, DPWH Eastern Visayas assistant regional director, told the Philippine News Agency on Thursday.

"If retrofitting of the 42 spans of the bridge will be fully funded, it will take nearly two years before we will allow all types of vehicles to use the bridge," Junia told local media late on Thursday.

The Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council will hold a special meeting on Monday to endorse the proposed funds for inclusion in the 2026 budget.

For 2025, the DPWH only has a ₱150 million budget for retrofitting some bridge piers and spans.

Urgency and coordination

During a coordination meeting on Wednesday (May 14) held at the DPWH multipurpose hall in Palo, Leyte, officials acknowledged gaps in enforcement and communication.

“The advisory was released on May 12, but many truckers from Luzon and Mindanao were unaware of the restriction,” Tabacon admitted.

To address this, further coordination with local government units, police, the military, the coast guard, and shipping firms is underway.

A separate meeting with shipping operators is also being scheduled to firm up logistics and ferry schedules for cargo rerouting.

Despite standing firm against decades of use and calamities, consultants now recommend major repairs on San Juanico’s superstructure.

“The bridge has withstood time and disaster, but now requires urgent attention,” Tabacon said.

But until full repairs are completed, authorities stress that safety and proactive prevention must come first.