“Mali yung design’ - President Marcos on Sta. Maria – Cabagan bridge collapse

Isabela, Philippines – “It is a design flaw. Mali yung design,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has this to say when he personally inspected the collapsed section of the Sta. Maria – Cabagan bridge in Isabela on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

Speaking before the media, Marcos told reporters that the 990-meter bridge was originally allotted with P1.8 billion, but the budget was reduced to P1 billion “para makamura”. He added that the budget for the bridge was P900 million, but it reached P1.2 billion because it had to be retrofitted since a part of it was shaking when the infrastructure was still being constructed.

The president reiterated the bridge was supposed to be a suspension bridge, however he said it is the only suspension bridge he ever saw that did not use cable. 

“Ito lang ang suspension bridge na nakita ko sa buong mundo na hindi kable. At ‘yan na mismo ang bumigay. Ayan, o, diyan ang bumigay ‘yung bakal. Kung kable ‘yan, hindi dapat bumigay yan,” he said, adding that there is no problem in the construction and that the contractor followed the plan, so it is a ‘design problem’.

Marcos also noted that the bridge was designed to only carry 44 tons, but the dump truck that passed over it which triggered its collapse on February 28 was over 100 tons.

“So yung nagtitipid tayo, tinipid natin na P1.8 billion, useless. Ngayon babalik na naman tayo, gagastos na naman tayo ng malaki. Papalitan natin yang mga support, parang nagtayo na naman tayo ng bagong tulay,” he conveyed.

Lower house probe sought

Through House Resolution 2249, some members of the lower house initiated there is a need to investigate the incident and identify the responsible parties to determine whether there is corruption and negligence involved in the construction of the bridge.

“While authorities have focused on the flagman who allowed the overloaded truck to pass, it is imperative that the investigation go beyond individual accountability and scrutinize the entire procurement and construction process, including the contractor RD. Interior, Jr., the project engineers, and DPWH officials who approved and supervised the project,” lawmakers wrote in the resolution.