Manila: The City Development Council (CDC) here has formally endorsed the construction of the Second San Juanico Bridge project as an alternative structure for crossing Leyte and Samar provinces. The city government announced on Tuesday that the council expressed support for the PHP19.75-billion project as part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 12 Mega-Bridge Program aimed at enhancing inter-island connectivity nationwide.

According to Philippines News Agency, the endorsement is seen as a significant step in securing local support for the San Juanico Bridge II, a project envisioned to boost economic activity and improve mobility between Leyte and Samar for generations to come. The CDC is composed of key city government officials, village officials, and non-government organizations.

The proposed San Juanico Bridge II will be a two-lane steel arch bridge with truss elements for its main span, complemented by girder sections supported by multiple columns. It will link San Isidro village in Tacloban to San Juan village in Sta. Rita, Samar. Funding will come from a loan under the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s Official Development Assistance (86 percent) and the national budget (14 percent).

The new bridge will be located just a few meters from the existing one. A three-ton load limit on the 52-year-old San Juanico Bridge has barred trucks and buses from crossing the 2.16-km infrastructure since May 15, causing logistical hurdles in Leyte and Samar. Several ports in the two provinces have been opened as alternative roll-on, roll-off routes for cargo trucks.