Batangas hanging bridge collapse: 32 hurt

San Juan, Batangas – Thirty-two high school students were hurt when a hanging bridge they were crossing here snapped yesterday morning.

Chief Inspector Jonathan Tangonan, San Juan police chief said, 167 students from Batangas Eastern Academy were holding their yearly Girl Scouts activity when the accident happened at around 9:30 a.m. 

The Girl Scouts, aged 12 to 13, were about to cross an old 50-meter hanging bridge located just a few meters from the San Juan Public Market in Barangay Mabalanoy when it snapped.

The students fell on a 30-meter ravine and suffered sprains, broken bones and contusions. School authorities and barangay officials rescued the victims using a makeshift ladder on the creek.

They were rushed to the San Juan District Hospital, Duque General Hospital in San Juan and Mary Mediatrix Hospital in Lipa City.

Two of the victims were a 62-year-old female vendor and a 10-year-old boy who crossed the bridge along with the Girl Scouts.

The injured belong to the first batch of scouts who crossed the bridge. The hiking activity was called off after the collapse of the bridge.

Tangonan said the age of the bridge and the number of people crossing the ridge at the same time could be factors that caused it to collapse.

Fortunately, he said, there were sand and water beneath the bridge so the victims only sustained minor injuries.

Now being treated at the hospital were Danile Aniban, Olien Ona, Daisy Barrion, Amira Espiritu, Rachel Cavillan, April Durado, Niza Tubeo, Myla Manalo, Jedy Mendiola, Alysa Pera, Ruby Ruth Carandang, Judith Gutierrez, Jayrose Jaen, Ruth Balique, Jenine Lajato, Ranie Dimaano, Arysa Pendel, Jelly An Garcia, Katlyn Lunes, Jesica Catapang,Cristina May Palas, Adoracion Aran, and Cris Razon. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe