Manila: One after another, they crumble. Concrete and steel, meant to stand the test of time, are instead tumbling into rivers and ravines —leaving devastation, loss, and unanswered questions in their wake.
In a country where billions are spent on infrastructure, the alarming frequency of bridge collapses has sparked outrage, prompting Manila’s politicians to demand answers.
Php1.007 trillion
Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget for 2025
Leading calls for a probe is Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, who has called for a full-blown investigation into the recurring tragedies that have claimed lives, injured citizens, and drained public funds.
“The number of incidents of bridges collapsing across the country has reached an alarming level," the lawyer-politician said.
"These have resulted in fatalities, injuries, and significant economic losses, raising urgent concerns over deficiencies in engineering and design, use of substandard materials, lack of proper oversight, and possible corruption in infrastructure projects,” Pimentel stressed in filing Senate Resolution No. 1319.
### Billions wasted, lives endangered
A nation's bridges are meant to be symbols of progress, sturdy lifelines connecting communities. But in the Philippines, they have become ticking time bombs.
“Billions of pesos are spent and years are wasted building these bridges, only for them to collapse in an instant, endangering lives and squandering public funds. Bridges must be built to withstand calamities and heavy use, yet their repeated collapses raise serious concerns,” Pimentel underscored.
His impassioned call for accountability follows the shocking collapse of the **Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge in Isabela**.
Spanning 990 metres and costing an eye-watering Php1.225 billion, the bridge had only been open for weeks before disaster struck. On **February 27, 2025**, an overloaded dump truck attempted to cross — and in a split second, the structure gave way.
But this is just the latest in a pattern of structural failures that raises damning questions about engineering integrity and government oversight.
### A trail of destruction
From Luzon to Mindanao, the collapse of bridges has left a trail of destruction and despair:
* **Magapi Bridge, Batangas (October 28, 2024)**: Torrential floodwaters and uprooted trees from Typhoon Kristine sent this bridge plunging into chaos, reigniting fears about the country's infrastructure resilience.
* **Bantilan Bridge, Batangas-Quezon (October 29, 2022)**: Raging river currents and relentless flooding weakened the structure before it finally surrendered, cutting off vital connectivity between two provinces.
* **Carlos Romulo Bridge, Pangasinan (October 20, 2022)**: Two overloaded dump trucks exceeded the weight limit, shattering the bridge and injuring four individuals.
* **Borja Bridge, Bohol (June 16, 2022)**: Another case of reckless overloading—this time a 12-wheeler truck proved to be the final straw.
* **Loay-Clarin Bridge, Bohol (April 27, 2022)**: A disaster of tragic proportions. When the bridge spanning the iconic Loboc River collapsed, four lives were lost, and 18 others were left injured.
* **Kulafu Bridge, Davao City (February 18, 2022)**: Not even under-construction structures are safe. A bridge meant to bolster flood control efforts crumbled while workers were still laying fresh concrete, sending three to the hospital.
* **Steel Bridge, Laguna (January 29, 2022**): A 12-wheeler truck plunged 80 feet into a river when the bridge it crossed gave way, leaving four people injured and communities stranded.
The sheer number of catastrophes raises serious doubts about the reliability of government-constructed bridges.
Are these failures the result of flawed designs? Inferior materials? Poor oversight? Or worse — rampant corruption, made worse by a [culture that breeds political dynasties](https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/philippines/political-dynasties-worsen-problem-on-corruption-1.1139597) accountable only to their tribe or extended family?
### A call for urgent action
Pimentel, who has long pushed for a comprehensive review of the country’s bridge projects, is demanding accountability.
“These incidents highlight the urgent need to review compliance by national and local governments as well as contractors with engineering standards, design feasibility, maintenance protocols, and infrastructure budget allocation,” he concluded.
Under Executive Order No. 124, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is tasked with ensuring that all infrastructure projects adhere to the highest efficiency and safety standards. But with bridges continuing to collapse, the department—and those involved in the projects—must now answer to the people.
Will this Senate investigation finally bring justice and reform? Or will it be another made-for-TV spectacle, where grandstanding politicians grill engineers and contractors, only for the issue to be forgotten as court cases crawl through the country’s slow judicial system?
One thing is certain: The Filipino people deserve more than broken bridges and broken promises.
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