Bridge collapse cuts farmers’ trade route

DETOUR PLAN Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon (second from right), during his inspection of the collapsed Piggatan Bridge in Alcala, Cagayan, on Wednesday, orders the immediate construction of a detour bridge. Gov. Edgar Aglipay and Mayor Cristina Antonio joined Dizon during the inspection. —VILLAMOR VISAYA JR.

ALCALA, CAGAYAN—With at least 100,000 farmers from Alcala and nearby towns in northern Cagayan now cut off from the main trading hub in the capital Tuguegarao City, 43-year-old farmer Samuel Cabaldo fears what lies ahead for his family.

“Our income is uncertain,” Cabaldo, speaking in Ilocano, told the Inquirer on Wednesday, anticipating delays in the delivery of dried palay and corn, which were bound for a trading post in Isabela province.

“Our access to the main markets has been hindered, and some of our produce end up spoiling. This means either a loss or a reduction in our projected income,” he added.

Following the collapse of the 51-year-old Piggatan Bridge on Monday, heavy vehicles are now forced to take the San Jose, Baggao-Peñablanca route, while light vehicles are redirected to the Maraburab-Piggatan alternate road—stretching what used to be a 10-minute drive to a 45-minute or even an hourlong detour.

An 18-ton load limit had been imposed on the 74.7-meter steel bridge built in 1974.

The collapse is expected to impact on the livelihood of some 40,000 farmers in Alcala and an additional 60,000 in neighboring towns. As of the 2021 Philippine Statistics Authority survey, Alcala had a poverty incidence of 12.61 percent as a third class municipality (average annual income of between P130 million and less than P160 million).

Patrocinio Battad, a 30-year-old truck driver whose vehicle was among those passing through the bridge when it collapsed, lamented his sudden loss of income.

“My truck wasn’t even loaded yet. I was on my way to Gattaran to pick up palay,” he said in a separate interview.

Additional burden

For many in the area, the longer, riskier routes through poorly maintained roads only add to their burden.

“It could take years before a new bridge is built,” said Benedicto Battung, 51, a resident of Alcala’s Maraburab village.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon visited Alcala on Wednesday afternoon to inspect the bridge and hold a dialogue with Cagayan leaders.

Dizon inspected the site and pledged funding for the bridge repair. He also ordered plans and budgets for detour bridges on four other aging bridges in Cagayan.

While considering charges against owners and drivers of overloaded trucks, Dizon said he would focus on restoring economic activity.

“This is a critical link for rice, corn, and other goods. Any disruption raises costs,” he said after meeting with Cagayan Gov. Edgar Aglipay.

Dizon also pledged to recommend the inclusion of the bridge’s reconstruction in the proposed 2026 national budget and revealed that a temporary detour bridge is being planned.

Aglipay promised to help enforce load limits on bridges to prevent future accidents.

Senate inquiry

Following the collapse of Piggatan Bridge, local officials in nearby Lal-lo town have begun stricter monitoring of the Magapit Bridge, a 45-year-old structure with a load capacity of only 15 tons.

Government workers have installed warning signs to remind and caution truck drivers about the bridge’s weight limit—part of efforts to enforce safety regulations.

Meanwhile, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday called for a comprehensive Senate inquiry into the condition and structural integrity of bridges nationwide.

Review designs

Estrada’s Senate Resolution No. 153, urged the appropriate committee to conduct the inquiry, underscoring the need to review existing bridge designs and maintenance systems, assess the economic and tourism impacts of such incidents, and recommend measures to safeguard public welfare and ensure the integrity of the country’s infrastructure.

“Will we wait for another bridge to collapse before we take action? We must act swiftly to identify vulnerable structures, especially in agricultural regions. It’s not just the roads that get cut off during incidents involving bridge collapse, transportation, safety and livelihood of people are also affected, he said in a statement.

Through the proposed inquiry, the Senate aims to identify aging and high-risk bridges that may require retrofitting or replacement, strengthen infrastructure audit systems, and reinforce government accountability in maintaining safe, reliable public structures.

Estrada urged the Department of Public Works and Highways and other agencies to prioritize the retrofitting and replacement of aging bridges, and to ensure that new constructions meet modern standards capable of handling increased traffic and heavier loads. —WITH A REPORT FROM TINA G. SANTOS