This is an interesting topic because it covers everything. Everything and everyone has a future in many ways. Time is an important resource. It should be handled properly.
Future proofing refers to the design of roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure projects in such a way that the design once constructed remains functional well into the future even if conditions change. It promotes thinking ahead and building with flexibility and adaptability to changing conditions.
In the case of the San Juanico Bridge (SJB), now that it is severely damaged necessitating its limited use for the next three years. Future proofing means that the rehabilitation of the bridge should be adjusted to its future use.
Civil engineers call this retrofitting. Old infrastructure is upgraded to meet current and future standards.
In the Philippines, our infrastructure is designed to last 50 years without major repairs. In developed countries, the design is good for a hundred years.
That is just about the number of years SJB has existed.
Right on schedule, except that SJB underwent a major repair in 1994 at a cost of 80 million pesos, now equivalent to approximately 350 million pesos.
In the history of the bridge presented by DPWH, this repair is not mentioned. It should be. Now that major defects in the structure have been found, the current design engineers should find out why the earlier repair was made just 21 years after the bridge was opened to the public, repairs have to be done again 30 years later in the magnitude just mentioned.
Thirty years after DPWH repaired it, it is virtually closed again, in dire need of major repairs to the extent that it will take three years to thoroughly complete it.
In the Regional Development Council meeting last June 10, 2025, I suggested to DPWH Regional Director Edgar B. Tabacon to future -proof the bridge. It should design a retrofitting of the bridge that is strong enough to allow the passage of 50-ton capacity vehicles such as trailers with loads normally carried these days. It is easy to figure that out.
My point is that if it is reopened in the same 33 tons capacity then it will only take a few 45 to 50 tons capacity trucks to pass and we are back to square one, partial closure and repairs again costing billions of pesos.
Consider these types of vehicles that pass through SJB that are in excess of 33 tons: 12-wheeler trucks that normally contain containerized cargo, construction materials and industrial deliveries. Another category are 14- wheeler trucks. Still a heavier one are off-highway, off-road mining trucks.
In this proposed situation there is no need to station policemen and soldiers to make sure DPWH uses the weighing scale to prevent heavy trucks from passing through. Every vehicle, even the heavy ones, can cross the bridge. No problem.
Anytime these days and in the not too distant future these heavy trucks will use SJB more often. We have no choice. Unless there will be barges and ports that these heavy vehicles can use, which is again a way of future-proofing.
Future proofing. That’s the key.
At the moment, some one billion pesos will be released to bring the bridge back to the 33-ton capacity. That design is unfortunately not future-proofed.
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