Tarlac city: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is working round the clock to immediately repair the collapsed section of the Agana Bridge in Tarlac City. In a social media post on Friday, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon reported that structural support beams, which will serve as the foundation for a temporary Bailey bridge, have already been installed to quickly restore this critical link for motorists and commuters.

According to Philippines News Agency, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DPWH to expedite the repair of the structure to eliminate the need for alternative routes and shorten the travel time of motorists, commuters, and the transport of goods. Late last month, the middle portion of the Agana Bridge, located in Barangay Tibag, partially collapsed due to the heavy rains brought by the "habagat" or southwest monsoon.

The decades-old bridge was the second bridge to be damaged in the province, the first being the 40-year-old Tarlac Bridge, which also collapsed due to strong river currents and continuous heavy rains on Aug. 28. The President has allocated PHP300 million to repair both bridges.