Limited trips hamper free Ro-Ro for Samar-Leyte
TACLOBAN CITY—Only a few cargo trucks have availed of the free roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) service program between Samar and Leyte islands despite the government’s efforts to ease the impact of San Juanico Bridge’s weight restrictions on the delivery of essential goods and supplies in the Eastern Visayas region.
Lord Byron Torrecarion, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), expressed concern over the low utilization of the program, saying many truckers still chose to board commercial vessels that charge between P1,500 and P6,000, depending on the weight of the truck.
He attributed this trend to the limited number of trips currently offered by the free service which runs only once daily from Tacloban City in Leyte province to Amandayehan Port in Basey town, Samar, and vice versa.
Torrecarion, in an interview on Friday, said the limited schedule had left truckers with no choice but to use commercial vessels.
“[But] in keeping with the directive of the President, the free ride program should be prioritized. This is a government effort to prevent any price increases or inflationary effects due to the bridge’s weight limit,” he said.
As of June 24, only 241 vehicles—215 cargo trucks and 26 fuel tankers—had utilized the “Libreng Sakay” program which was launched on June 18 to help ensure the uninterrupted transport of essential goods between Samar and Leyte as trucks and large delivery vehicles had been barred from using San Juanico Bridge.
Led by the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Council through the OCD in Eastern Visayas, the program provides free Ro-Ro transport for trucks carrying food, fuel and other critical supplies through the Tacloban–Amandayehan (Basey) route.
The initiative was supported by P54.3 million funding from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and was expected to run for five months.
The government tapped Roble Shipping Co. as the vessel operator for the route that now runs 24/7 to address logistics demand.
Each trip can accommodate about 18 to 20 trucks, depending on the size of the vehicles. The free service is limited to those transporting perishable and essential goods.
Torrecarion said he would raise the issue with the Philippine Ports Authority to explore the possibility of increasing the number of free trips.
The Libreng Sakay program was launched following the Department of Public Works and Highways’ imposition of a 3-ton weight limit on San Juanico Bridge in May after structural cracks were discovered during a routine inspection.
Built in 1973, the 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge remains a vital economic artery in Eastern Visayas, connecting the islands of Samar and Leyte and linking the region to the rest of the country.
The weight restriction has raised concerns over possible supply disruptions and economic slowdown, prompting authorities to monitor the situation closely while planning long-term repairs and upgrades.
