CABAGAN, ISABELA – A portion of the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge, a key infrastructure project under former President Rodrigo Duterte’s Build Build Build program, collapsed on February 27, 2025, despite undergoing retrofitting for earlier structural concerns.
The 990-meter bridge, inaugurated in 2023, had been undergoing repairs when it gave way, involving four vehicles, including a dump truck carrying rocks. Six people, including two children, were injured and rushed to the hospital.
In an interview with Cheryl Cosim on One PH, Engr. Mathias Malenab of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) stated that the bridge has a maximum weight limit of 45 tons, and authorities are investigating whether overloading, structural defects, or inadequate retrofitting contributed to the collapse.
Among the injured, a young cancer survivor requires urgent surgery.
The incident has reignited concerns over the quality and safety of public infrastructure projects, with calls for stricter oversight and accountability. Motorists are advised to avoid the area as engineers assess the remaining structure.
