A few days ago, the personal driver of my boss raised his concerns about a portion of the San Pedro Bridge (yes, that troubled bridge over the San Isidro River that has achieved notoriety in past years) that he says is in big trouble.
He shared to us pictures he took of the southern portion of the bridge (on the southbound lane, approaching the downtown area). One of the pictures, which I’m sharing here, shows large – and I mean LARGE – cracks on the sidewalk, causing parts of the sidewalk to almost cave in.
Not only do those cracks pose a hazard to pedestrians, they have also raised concerns among motorists about the structural integrity of the approach to the bridge itself.
There’s the possibility that those cracks on the pavement which are now causing the sidewalk to sink is a symptom of a bigger problem at the approach to the bridge.
Could it mean a possible landslide, especially during rainy weather or if some overloaded truck passes by? Quite possible – and there’s another problem: the houses that have been built right beside the slope of the bridge, which could be affected if (God forbid) the structure gives way.
-o0o-
I know some people who read this article will be quick to blame the local government of San Pedro City for the condition of the bridge’s approaches, but let’s set the record straight here.
As the bridge is part of the National Highway, the responsibility for the maintenance of the bridge falls not under the LGU but under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In fact, it was the DPWH that the local government under former Mayor Lourdes “Baby” Cataquiz pointed the blame at after the bridge-widening project took three years to complete.
A Philippine Daily Inquirer article back in 2019 quoted former City Administrator Fil Sibulo, who claimed that lack of coordination between the DPWH and other government agencies as the chief reason why construction of the bridge was delayed, causing untold misery for San Pedrenses who had to endure heavy traffic and rerouting.
And even after the bridge-widening project was completed, the troubles were not necessarily over.
A few months ago, the northern approach to the bridge had to be repaved by the DPWH after motorists complained of uneven surfaces that caused a bumpy ride for vehicles passing through.
And what about the pieces of metal bracing that are now practically jutting out of the bridge itself, particularly in the areas where the old and the new lanes meet? That’s another accident waiting to happen.
If the DPWH is really serious in improving the lives of the ordinary motorist and commuter who pass through the San Isidro Bridge Day in and day out, maybe they should take a look at doing a complete retrofitting of the bridge’s approaches before a serious incident happens.
Whatever happened to “prevention is better than cure,” huh?
(Update: as of Friday, August 2, I have personally observed DPWH equipment being installed at the very area we’re talking about. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that they’ll finally fix this issue.)
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