Cagayan Bridge Collapse sparks questions
regarding integrity in public works
A mighty bridge, once thought to stand the test of time, has collapsed under the strain of an overloaded truck, shaking public confidence in the nation’s infrastructure. The Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge—a billion-peso structure built to replace its flood-prone predecessor—crumbled last Thursday night, sending shockwaves through the Department of Public Works and Highways. Six people, including a child, were injured, while four vehicles bore the brunt of the structural failure.
On paper, the bridge appeared robust, boasting 12 arch spans and nine pre-stressed concrete girder spans. Yet, in reality, it ended in catastrophe—a failure not just of engineering but of integrity in public works. Accusations of overpricing, corruption, and hasty construction for the sake of "legacy" now swirl around the wreckage, raising uncomfortable but necessary questions.
Officials wasted no time launching a full-scale inquiry. Engineers from the Bureau of Design and Bureau of Construction have been deployed to assess the damage, sifting through the ruins for answers. The immediate cause? A massive dump truck, overloaded with boulders, tipping the scales at an astonishing 102 tons—more than twice the bridge’s intended weight capacity.
But was the truck alone to blame? Or was this disaster years in the making? Whispers of deeper flaws have begun to emerge—of rushed construction, of political ambition outweighing sound engineering, of an infrastructure boom that promised much but may have delivered far less.
Completed in early 2025 at a staggering cost of P1.225 billion, the bridge had already undergone two rounds of retrofitting within just two years of its opening—costing taxpayers nearly P400 million. The same contractor, R.D. Interior Jr. Construction, was awarded both retrofitting projects: first in 2023 for P274 million, then again in 2024 for P115 million. If the structure required immediate reinforcement, was it ever truly built to last?
The "Build, Build, Build" program, a signature initiative of the past administration, aimed to usher in an era of grand bridges, highways, and railways. But as Filipinos now look upon the ruins of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge, a painful question lingers: were these projects built for the future, or merely for show?
In the wake of the collapse, political narratives have begun to take shape. Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte have circulated an image blaming the current Marcos administration, claiming the project began in 2023 with a ₱274 million budget. However, official records tell a different story: that amount was allocated solely for retrofitting and strengthening the bridge, which was originally constructed during the Duterte administration. Rather than assigning blame, the focus must now shift to accountability—who approved the plans, who cut corners, and who will ensure that history does not repeat itself?
And to think that most of the projects of the "Build, Build, Build" and "Build, Better, More" happened to be from previous administrations (Aquino, Arroyo, even from Estrada and Ramos), should they blame them as well? Not surprised if they blame Aquino from both Marcos and Duterte camps for the sake of blaming them!
DPWH Officer-in-Charge Mathias Malenab has vowed that no stone will be left unturned in the search for accountability. “The entire integrity of the structure must be scrutinized to ensure this never happens again,” he declared. Yet, as investigations unfold, the nation watches with bated breath—hoping that from the rubble of failure, real lessons will emerge, and that the roads and bridges of tomorrow will no longer be haunted by the missteps of yesterday.