President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed a full investigation into the collapse of the Sta. Maria-Cabagan Bridge in Isabela, stressing that poor design was to blame.
The original budget for the suspension bridge was P1.8 billion, but it was cut by P1 billion to reduce costs, according to Marcos Jr.
“Ang puno’t dulo nito design flaw. It is a design flaw, mali ‘yung design. Ang history kasi nito dapat ang funding nito was supposed to be P1.8 billion. Binawasan to under P1 billion para makamura,” he told reporters at the site.
The President also noted that overloaded trucks contributed to the collapse. “Those trucks should never have been on the bridge,” he said.
“We have to be more careful about monitoring ‘yung mga load. Kung 44 tons ang sinasabi, [tapos] sasakyan mo 200 plus tons, hindi nakapagtataka na ganito ang mangyayari.”
A week after the incident, Marcos Jr. inspected the site with Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan and local officials.
He assured that those responsible would be identified.
“I always have a saying: fix the problem, not the blame. Ayusin muna natin ‘yung problema. Believe me, we will find out who is responsible.”IMT
