QUEZON TOWN ASKS DPWH: REPLACE DESTROYED BRIDGE

LUCENA CITY—Local officials of Sariaya town in Quezon province have asked the government to build a bridge replacing the collapsed Bantilan Bridge connecting the provinces of Batangas and Quezon.

Vice Mayor Alex Tolentino said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) must immediately construct even a temporary bridge to ensure the safety of the people who were now forced to cross Bantilan River using small boats.

“The bridge is an important part of their daily lives, especially the students,” Tolentino said.

Most of the students from the village of Manggalang Bantilan in Sariaya attend school in San Juan town of Batangas just across the river.

He said DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan had already inspected the site immediately after the collapse of the bridge.

Linking Manggalang Bantilan and Barangay Tipas in San Juan, the 63-linear meter bridge crashed down on Oct. 29 due to raging river currents and floods spawned by Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng” (international name: Nalgae). Strong current also carried away 13 houses along the riverbanks in Manggalang Bantilan while a hanging bridge in another part of the village collapsed and isolated at least 50 houses.

At risk

Manggalang Bantilan village chief Leoncio Umali said replacing the collapsed structure would take years, and having no temporary bridge would put the residents at risk.

“We need at least a temporary hanging bridge for our daily crossing,” Umali said in an earlier phone interview.

Umali said almost all high school students in the village attend a school in Barangay Tipas since it was within walking distance.

“But after the incident, their safety has been our utmost concern since they cross the river by boat. One time, the boat capsized while crossing. Thank God, everyone was saved,” Umali said.

He said the Philippine Coast Guard stopped the use of boats without rigs due to safety concerns.

Umali said a villager donated a boat with rigs to give a free ride to students.

“But it is not enough to accommodate the daily users who want to cross the river,” he said.

DPWH jurisdiction

Quezon Gov. Angelina Tan also called on the national government to immediately replace the destroyed bridge, which is under the jurisdiction of the DPWH-Quezon 2nd engineering district.

Tan noted the bridge was part of the highway that provided an alternative route for travelers from Quezon and Bicol region going to Manila via Batangas to avoid traffic congestion along Maharlika Highway.

Some motorists who regularly took the Batangas route from Lucena to Manila also urged the government to build a temporary bridge for light vehicles.

Many of them have long stopped traveling through Maharlika Highway, citing its “horrendous traffic.” An alternative route in Tiaong and San Antonio towns in Quezon to Lipa, Batangas, was not a feasible option due to frequent traffic overflow, they said.

In a Facebook post on Oct. 31, the DPWH in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) said Bonoan had issued instructions to expedite the restoration work on the damaged bridge.