DPWH starts fixing bridges in quake-hit Surigao

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is now building timber bridges and fixing concrete spans damaged by the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Surigao del Norte last week.

“As of now, we are in the process of fixing,” Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said in an interview on GMA News' "News To Go" Tuesday.

“Gumagawa na kami ng timber bridge in the meantime. Naka-allocate na ng budget and, by this year, masisimulan din 'yung reconstruction,” he added.

Villar noted five bridges have cracks and separations:

• Banahaw Bridge

• Friendship Bridge

• Malico Bridge

• Kinabutan I Bridge

• Kinabutan II Bridge

The bridges are still passable and can accommodate light vehicles. “Ang bawal lang ay 'yung mga heavy vehicles kasi inaayos pa namin," the Cabinet official said.

In particular, the Anao-aon Bridge in San Francisco town was up and scheduled for rehabilitation even before the earthquake struck, Villar said.

“The damage was massive, kaya kailangan na talaga gumawa ng bago. 'Yung rehabilitation of that bridge was already ... nakalagay na sa 2017 budget ... Ang gagawin na lang ng DPWH ay i-a-augment na lang 'yung budget para masimulan na siya sa lalong madaling panahon,” he said.

“We do regular checks if we found a bridge in need of repairs. Siguro, sa sobrang luma na ng bridge, kailangan na talaga i-rehab. During the earthquake, it was too strong kaya bumigay na 'yung bridge,” he added.

The DPWH also deployed structural engineers to assess the condition of other buildings and structures, Villar noted.

In another interview on "Balitanghali" Monday, DPWH Undersecretary Karen Jimeno said the damage to infrastructure has reached more than P250 million.

"Sa ngayon po ang cost-estimate natin ay umaabot sa P103 million para dun sa mga nasirang bridges saka national roads. Pero dun po sa municipality of San Francisco, meron tayong bridge na talagang nag-collapse so kailangan ng replacement. That's an additional cost-0estimate of P150 million," Jimeno said. — Erwin Colcol/VDS, GMA News