President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. confirmed that the Cabagan–Santa Maria Bridge in Isabela, which partially collapsed on February 27, had a design issue.
“This is a design problem,” Marcos said in an ambush interview, following reports that the bridge failed under the weight of a 102-ton truck, more than double its 44-ton capacity.
The incident, which left six people injured, occurred less than a month after the ₱1.2-billion bridge was inaugurated on February 1, 2025.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro added that a thorough investigation is underway, pointing out that the bridge was “underdesigned.”
The bridge, connecting the towns of Cabagan and Santa Maria, replaced an old overflow bridge prone to flooding. Initially planned in 2014 and completed in 2021 after delays, the structure was retrofitted before its recent opening.
