The Piggatan Detour Bridge in Alcala, Cagayan is 34 percent complete, 10 days after it began construction, the Department of Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Sunday.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the emergency construction of the detour bridge to be completed in 60 days following the collapse of the Piggatan Bridge on October 6.
The DPWH said that the construction of the detour bridge is continuous in order to avoid undue delay to the initiative, and to ease the traffic in Cagayan.
According to the DPWH, the Piggatan Bridge fell due to overloading of three trucks that were simultaneously on the bridge, exceeding the 18-ton capacity.
The Piggatan Bridge was one of the five critical bridges in Cagayan used in transporting agricultural goods, but due to its sudden collapse, the transport of goods became over 82 kilometers or two hours longer than usual.
Dizon also ordered the construction of detour bridges for the four other critical bridges in Cagayan, saying that he ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if the others also collapse, similar to the Paggitan bridge.
Since the incident, DPWH officials have been instructed to collaborate with local and provincial government units in assessing bridges in their areas of jurisdiction.
DPWH officials were also ordered to implement traffic management measures along bridges, with Dizon saying that proper management of the Paggitan Bridge would have saved it from collapsing.