Samar declared under state of emergency due to San Juanico Bridge restrictions

The entire province of Samar has been declared under a state of emergency due to disruptions in the flow of essential supplies caused by weight restrictions on the San Juanico Bridge.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the declaration to address the impact of the new vehicle weight limit on the 53-year-old bridge, which is currently undergoing a two-year rehabilitation.

Since May 15, only vehicles weighing 3 tons or less are allowed on the San Juanico Bridge, significantly affecting the transport of crucial items like fuel and medical supplies from Leyte Island.

Vice Governor Arnold Tan stated that the emergency declaration will enable the provincial government to control the prices of basic commodities, particularly food and fuel, as supply levels dwindle.

To mitigate the fuel shortage, the provincial government plans to use local funds to subsidize transportation costs from Leyte via the port in Basey, Samar, which is still under improvement.