TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has allowed trucks weighing up to 30 tons to cross the San Juanico Bridge during nighttime hours as part of controlled traffic management measures.
In a public advisory, the DPWH said heavy vehicles are permitted to pass the bridge from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., strictly on a one-way-at-a-time basis starting Wednesday, Dec. 17. The move aims to balance transport needs while ensuring public safety and protecting the structural integrity of the bridge.
The agency also announced the postponement of a previously scheduled daytime dry run for 30-ton truck crossings on Dec. 18, citing the need for further consultations. Until further notice, crossings of trucks with the maximum allowable weight will be limited to the designated nighttime window.
Motorists were reminded to observe safety regulations, including a maximum speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour and a minimum distance of 40 meters between vehicles while on the bridge.
DPWH officials appealed for the cooperation of motorists and transport operators as authorities continue to fine-tune traffic measures on the iconic structure linking Samar and Leyte.
The controlled entry of heavier trucks was earlier proposed by Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and discussed during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s visit to the city on Dec. 12.
Last week, President Marcos led the reopening of the San Juanico Bridge to heavier vehicles following six months of retrofitting work, completed ahead of the Christmas season. The bridge had been closed to vehicles weighing more than three tons from May 15 to Dec. 11, 2025, due to structural deterioration caused by aging and weather.
The rehabilitation project, which included portal shoring and reinforcement works, was funded with P520 million from the national disaster fund. Marcos earlier commended the DPWH for accelerating repairs, initially allowing the passage of 15-ton trucks across the bridge.