OCULAR INSPECTION. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon inspects the ongoing construction of the Kaliwet Bridge in Barangay Nalasin, Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur on Friday (May 8, 2026). He vowed to complete the bridge by the end of May after the temporary steel bridge collapsed on May 2 when an overweight truck passed through. (Photo courtesy of PIA Ilocos Sur)
STO. DOMINGO, Ilocos Sur – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has committed to hasten the completion of Kaliwet Bridge in Barangay Nalasin here by the end of this month.
After inspecting the ongoing construction of the replacement bridge on Friday, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the bridge must be open to the public in June.
Dizon said delays in public infrastructure are unacceptable, especially when they directly affect the daily lives of ordinary Filipinos.
“This bridge should have been completed three to four months ago. That is why I came here to fast track the bridge completion. It should be completed before the rainy season,” he said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate fast-tracking of the bridge’s completion, underscoring the administration’s push to deliver long-overdue infrastructure to the public, according to Dizon.
On May 2, a temporary steel bridge serving as a diversion route collapsed after a truck exceeding the five-ton weight limit passed through.
The DPWH will hold the trucking company liable for the damage amounting to PHP2.5 million.
The DPWH started constructing the Kaliwet Bridge on June 9, 2025, with a budget allocation of PHP36 million.
Once operational, the bridge will ensure faster mobility when passing through the town proper of Sto. Domingo to the eastern villages. Load limit will also increase to accommodate 20-ton trucks. (PNA)