The Cebu Provincial Government has officially launched the repair of 13 bridges damaged by a powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu seven months ago. The rehabilitation projects, valued at P253.9 million, are expected to be completed within six months, providing relief to commuters and residents in the fourth and fifth districts.
Why the Delay?
Although the earthquake occurred on September 30, 2025, construction did not begin immediately. According to Provincial Engineering Office Head Hector Jamora, engineers needed to ensure ground stability before building permanent structures.
“We already had a timeline to start this, within the three months allotted for preparing the plans,” Jamora explained. “We also had to consider the continuous aftershocks, so our priority was to let the ground stabilize because there might be changes to the site, and we might have to revise the design.”
Aftershocks persisted through early April 2026, including a magnitude 5.4 earthquake near Bogo City. Severe weather, such as Typhoon Tino on November 4, 2025, also slowed planning.
Breakdown of Bridge Repairs
The Provincial Engineering Office divided the budget into two groups. Four bridges are undergoing repairs with a combined cost of P94.2 million:
- Poblacion Borbon Bridge I: P38.9 million
- Poblacion Borbon Bridge II: P7.2 million
- Tabunan Bridges I and II (Borbon): P27 million
- Calumboyan Bridge (Sogod): P21.1 million
Another eight bridges will cost P159.7 million:
- Cabica Bridge (Borbon): P27.7 million
- Cadaruhan Bridge (Borbon): P26.6 million
- Poblacion–Suba Bridge (Daanbantayan): P33.3 million
- Guadalupe Bridge (Bogo City): P20 million
- Tabunok Bridge (Sogod): P18 million
- Piyo Bridge (Tabogon): P16.8 million
- Lamintak Bridge (Medellin): P11.4 million
- Tagnucan Bridge (Borbon): P5.5 million
Accelerating Construction
Three contractors—WTG, Lcting Construction, and Jfap—are working simultaneously to speed up the process. “Based on their contracts, as they are working simultaneously, they should be able to finish within six months,” Jamora said.
The bridge repairs are part of a broader three-year recovery plan. The Cebu Provincial Government has allocated P708.1 million for northern Cebu, with Governor Pamela Baricuatro emphasizing a “Build Back Better and Smarter” strategy to address the P9.24 billion in total physical damage. Additional bridge repairs are planned for Aloguinsan, Ginatilan, and Compostela using the 2026 budget.
