Lack of funding, not structural defects, has delayed the completion of the Bato Bridge in Maribojoc, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) told local officials Friday.
During a committee investigation on July 3, 2026, Engr. Julius Cesar Cadao, head of the DPWH 1st District Planning Office, revealed that while the district requested ₱80 million to complete the bridge project by 2026, the DPWH Central Office released only ₱8 million.
The inquiry was led by Board Member Nathaniel Binlod, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s Committee on Public Works and Highways, to address growing motorist frustration over the bridge’s closure.
Cadao clarified that the bridge itself is structurally sound.
However, the approach faces severe soil sinking and high tides, requiring extensive remedial work and additional funding.
The DPWH initially requested a total of ₱150 million for the Maribojoc bridge project, securing ₱62.5 million from the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and ₱26.5 million from the 2025 GAA.
The district office has escalated the funding shortage to DPWH Regional Director Simeon Arias and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to secure the remaining balance, Cadao added.
Meanwhile, Jefferson Berberes, a representative of contractor 7H Technochem, admitted that limestone previously used to repair the bridge approach had washed away due to high water levels.
“The water level during the day is high and has already reached the road level,” Berberes said, adding that crews are now working overnight during low tide to install steel sheet piles along the road to prevent further soil erosion.
Berberes noted that installing the sheet piles involves extensive welding and remains a temporary fix.
If the soil fails to stabilize after the area is refilled with limestone, the contractor will seek technical guidance from the DPWH.
He also raised financial concerns, noting that the approach repairs were not part of the contractor’s original project contract.
Although Berberes initially warned that light traffic would delay operations, the contractor has begun allowing motorcycles to cross the damaged approach.
No official order has been issued to reopen the bridge to full traffic until all repair works are completed.