Infrastructure in crisis: Flash floods and broken bridges

News from home has been deeply unsettling. Across several provinces in Luzon, communities have disappeared beneath floodwaters, families driven from their homes and livelihoods swept away. Particularly appalling were images of houses crumpling like accordions under the force of rushing water. In seconds, a family’s lifetime of sacrifice was reduced to debris.

Along the North Luzon Expressway, flooding near the San Simon interchange trapped motorists in punishing queues. For those stranded, the ordeal meant hours of exhaustion, uncertainty and anxiety. When a major expressway becomes impassable, the consequences extend far beyond the people behind the wheel. Deliveries are delayed, agricultural produce risks spoiling, businesses lose income and communities struggle to obtain essential supplies. Roads that sustain the economy become bottlenecks that choke it.

Even more alarming are bridges that give way, turning an ordinary journey into a tragedy.

In Tarlac City, the Aquino Bridge partially collapsed on Aug. 28 amid heavy monsoon rains and powerful river currents. The following evening, the nearby Agana Bridge, which became an alternative route, also collapsed. By Sept. 2, reports indicated two bodies recovered while two people remained missing. Behind those numbers are families whose lives have been changed forever.

These incidents raise a question no Filipino should have to ask before crossing a bridge: will we reach the other side safely?

A recent episode of “Memo” with Korina Sanchez-Roxas examined precisely this concern. With her characteristic directness, Korina asked structural engineer John Archie dela Cruz to explain what these failures tell us about the safety of our bridges.

The discussion brought renewed attention to the recently reopened Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge in Isabela, a section of which collapsed on Feb. 27, 2025, less than a month after its reported completion on Feb. 1. A heavily loaded truck was crossing when the structure failed. This was infrastructure the public expected would serve communities for years. Instead, it became another troubling question mark over the quality of public works.

Overloading must never be dismissed. Weight limits exist for a reason, and violations endanger everyone using a bridge. But pinpointing an overloaded truck cannot be the end of an investigation. The DPWH itself subsequently identified severe overloading as the immediate cause while also raising concerns about the bridge’s unusual design and construction arrangements.

However, the public deserves a complete explanation of how these factors interacted and who was responsible for ensuring the structure’s safety.

The Philippines has talented engineers and capable construction firms. Their expertise, however, cannot protect the public if sound recommendations are disregarded, workmanship is compromised or inspections become paperwork exercises.

For bridges exposed to flooding, the danger also lies beneath the surface. Fast-moving water exerts powerful forces on bridge supports. Equally dangerous is scouring – the erosion of riverbed material around foundations. A bridge may appear reassuringly solid from the roadway while the soil supporting its foundations is being washed away underneath. Once sufficient support is lost, stability can be seriously compromised.

This is why an inspection cannot stop at what motorists can see. Engineers must assess the foundations, the river channel and the conditions that could undermine them during the next flood.

Dredging and quarrying near bridges must likewise be governed by proper engineering assessments. Removing material from a river is not automatically a solution to flooding. Where and how excavation occurs matters. Flood control work must never compromise the infrastructure it is supposed to protect.

Maintenance is just as essential. Bearing pads, expansion joints and other bridge components deteriorate and require attention. Older structures also need reassessment against present traffic loads and flood conditions. Watershed degradation and changes in land use must form part of that evaluation.

A fresh coat of paint cannot establish structural integrity. Neither can a project completion certificate substitute for an independent assessment of a bridge’s safety. Filipinos are therefore entitled to ask difficult questions. Were correct materials used? Were defects reported and acted upon? Were maintenance funds properly spent? Were warnings ignored?

Corruption must be investigated wherever evidence points to it. So must negligence, inadequate maintenance and failures of professional oversight. Accountability requires establishing the facts and following them wherever they lead.

DPWH’s announcement that it has begun inspecting major bridges nationwide is welcome. Its recent directive prioritizes structures with significant scouring, exposed or undermined foundations and visible damage. This must be sustained with clear responsibilities, repair deadlines and public reporting.

Independent engineering experts should help assess vulnerable structures, including locally managed bridges. Inspection frequency must reflect risk, with additional checks after major floods and earthquakes. Dangerous crossings must be restricted or closed promptly, with safe alternative routes identified and assessed.

The findings must lead to action. Communities should know which bridges need urgent repairs, who is responsible and the deadline for work completion. Otherwise, another inspection risks becoming just another report filed away until the next disaster.

Above all, maintenance must receive dependable funding. We cannot keep celebrating new construction while allowing existing infrastructure to deteriorate until emergency repairs become the only option.

Our response must extend from the watershed to the roadway: protect forests, regulate extraction, improve drainage, enforce loading limits and maintain structures throughout their service lives. Building a stronger nation requires more than ribbon-cuttings and impressive project totals. It requires the discipline to protect what we build and the integrity to ensure that every peso serves its intended purpose.

A bridge carries more than vehicles. It carries children going to school, workers earning a living, farmers bringing produce to market and families expecting to return home. Every crossing is an act of public trust. No Filipino should have to pay for that trust with his life.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]