The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has called for the appointment of a San Juanico Bridge Rehabilitation Czar to provide central leadership and unify planning and decision-making, citing concerns that logistical disruptions have adversely affected businesses in Eastern Visayas following the temporary closure of the bridge.
PCCI President Eunina Mangio explained that the appointment of a San Juanico Bridge Rehabilitation Czar will ensure acceleration of repairs and strict observance of timelines and implementation of contingency plans. Rehabilitation of the 52-year old bridge that connects Samar and Leyte provinces is expected to last for about a year.
“While we understand the necessity of ensuring public safety and conducting rehabilitation works, the closure has already triggered significant disruptions to commerce, mobility, and the local economy,” said PCCI President Enunina “Nina” Mangio.
Economic impact
According to the PCCI, the closure has resulted in severe logistical delays affecting the movement of goods – especially perishable agricultural products and essential supplies such as medical and pharmaceutical, construction inputs and consumer supplies and fuel. It has also increased transportation costs for both raw materials and finished goods due to reliance on slower and more expensive RORO services and ferry alternatives, PCCI said.
Already, PCCI said that the situation has also disrupted labor mobility, hindering the daily commute of workers and professionals across the region; and reduced customer traffic for micro, small, and medium enterprises, which rely heavily on inter-island commerce.
With the disruption, PCCI noted that the affected local businesses are already feeling the strain, with some reporting losses as high as 30 percent within the first week of the bridge’s closure.
Proposed measures
To minimize the economic damage, PCCI has urged the implementation of an Urgent Economic Mitigation Plan by concerned agencies.
The proposed PCCI plan includes activation or repair of the Tacloban-Catbalogan and Tacloban-Calbayog Ro-Ro ramps, subsidy for barge charters, temporary waiver of fees by PPA and MARINA for essential food and medical shipments, designation of pre-cleared staging areas for trucks serving the agriculture and health sectors and, rollout of a digital barge booking system to minimize waiting times.
The PCCI also urged government to improve the efficiency and capacity of Roll-On, Roll-Off (RORO) services and ensure fair regulation of fare and cargo fees to prevent price gouging. They also asked for government to determine the Roro shipping requirement to ensure the right number of Roro is deployed.
Other proposed measures include subsidy programs or tax relief for affected MSMEs, especially those in the transport, agriculture, and retail sectors.
PCCI also would like the government to consider mobilizing the engineering units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that is responsible for construction and infrastructure development to help and fastrack the rehabilitation and repair of San Juanico bridge.
Foremost, the PCCI has called for expedited rehabilitation efforts and phased or limited access to allow partial reopening for light vehicles or commercial deliveries.
Commitment to Cooperate
PCCI and all chambers across Region 8 have committed for their solidarity and support during this critical time.
“Our shared goal is to maintain regional economic stability while supporting the modernization and safety of our infrastructure. We reaffirm our readiness to be part of the solution,” said PCCI.
The San Juanico Bridge is not merely a physical connection between two islands; it is the economic artery of Eastern Visayas. It links Leyte’s commercial hub (Tacloban) to Samar’s farm provinces. It forms part of Asian Highway 26, the only continuous over-land route between Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. In the first quarter of 2024, Region VIII shipped ₱10.57 billion in domestic cargo, the 4th-highest among all regions.
