MANILA — A congressional inquiry has been called following the collapse of a portion of the newly constructed Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela, which left eight people injured.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has urged a full investigation into the incident, alleging that corruption and the use of substandard materials may have contributed to the failure of the ₱1.22-billion bridge.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Representative France Castro described the collapse as “alarming,” questioning how a newly completed structure could fail so soon after undergoing retrofitting.

“Nakaka-alarma na ang isang P1.22 billion na bridge na kaka-retrofit lang noong February 1 ay gumuho kaagad. Hindi ito simpleng aksidente o kapabayaan lamang. Kailangang silipin ang posibilidad ng corruption at substandard materials,” Castro said in a statement.

Former ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio added that the probe should not only focus on the flagman who allegedly allowed the overloaded truck to cross but should also examine the entire procurement and construction process.

“This is not an isolated case. We have seen multiple instances of newly built or rehabilitated infrastructure failing prematurely. This points to systemic corruption and a lack of oversight in our infrastructure projects,” Tinio said.

DPWH Investigates Structural Failure

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has launched its own investigation into the incident.

According to the department, the third span of the bridge from the Cabagan side gave way at around 8 p.m. on Thursday as a dump truck carrying boulders—estimated to weigh 102 tons—passed over the structure.

In a statement, the DPWH said experts from its Bureau of Design and Bureau of Construction had been called in to conduct further analysis.

Bridge Recently Completed at ₱1.22 Billion

The Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge, which spans 990 meters across the Cagayan River, was constructed at a total cost of ₱1,225,537,087.92, covering both the bridge and its approaches. Work on the project began in November 2014 and was initially slated for completion in 2019. However, it was officially completed on February 1, 2025, after undergoing retrofitting.

The structure consists of 12 arch bridge spans measuring 60 meters each, along with nine pre-stressed concrete girder (PSCG) spans. The bridge’s approaches total 664.10 linear meters in length.

DPWH officials said the bridge underwent retrofitting in March 2023 to reinforce certain sections against seismic activity. However, they stressed that this did not indicate any flaws in the original design.

“Ang main reason ng retrofitting natin is to [provide] additional strengthening para sa earthquake effect po,” said DPWH Officer-In-Charge and Regional Director Matias Malenab.

Despite these reinforcements, the bridge appears to have failed under the weight of the overloaded truck. By law, bridge loads are limited to 45 tons—less than half the weight of the vehicle that crossed it.

“So what we are doing now is testing the actual density of the boulders the truck was carrying to determine their specific gravity,” Malenab added.

📷 Cabagan MDRRMO