Tacloban, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Eastern Visayas has called on truckers to comply with the anti-overloading law, especially when crossing the San Juanico Bridge. This appeal from DPWH regional director Edgar Tabacon comes after an incident on November 3 where a truck broke its axle on the bridge. The call for compliance aims to preserve the integrity of this crucial infrastructure.
According to Philippines News Agency, the recent incident involved a truck that evaded the San Juanico Weighbridge, a portable axle weighing station, and continued traversing the bridge without a weight check. Republic Act No. 8794, also known as the Anti-Overloading Law, mandates that trucks must not exceed a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 13.5 tons. Tabacon emphasized that all trucks are required to undergo weight checks at designated weighbridge stations on both sides of the San Juanico Bridge, which connects Leyte and Samar islands. These checks are critical for preventing damage to the bridge, a vital part of the Pan-Philippine Highway connecting Luzon to Mindanao. The San Juanico Bridge, stretching 2.16 kilometers from Samar to Leyte Island, is the longest bridge along this highway. Completed in 1972, it has withstood various calamities, including Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.