BORONGAN CITY -- District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia of the Department of Public Works and Highways - Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH-ESDEO) said the construction of the four bridges along Can-avid-Dolores-Maslog road will be completed this year.

The district engineer refers to the ongoing construction of Hinolaso Bridge 1, Hinolaso Bridge 2, Hinolaso Bridge 3, and Villahermosa Bridge with a total project cost of P212.48 million.

The bridge projects have two phases: the construction of substructures funded under calamity amounting to P97.83 million and the construction of the superstructures with road components of 2.5 kilometers amounting to P114.64 million funded under the
Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA).

“The four remaining bridges along Can-avid-Dolores-Maslog road are committed to being finished this year,” said DE Junia during her inspection on July 28 with Assistant District Engineer Domcelio Natividad and Maslog Mayor Heracleo C. Santiago.

Junia is positive that the construction of these bridges will be fully completed before the year ends because the three Hinolaso bridges are almost completed.

“We are almost done with the construction of the three bridges which is very critical, now the contractor will focus on the embankment and construction of the approaches,” said Junia.

The head of DPWH Eastern Samar added that the construction of the bridges started in 2018.

Inaccessibility of the project site due to occurrences of heavy rains made the road along Hinolaso to Villahermosa unpassable, thus the delay.

The muddy roads also caused the delay, added Junia.

The four bridges once completed will replace the timber bridges and will provide safer and convenient access to the public.

The concrete bridges can withstand calamity such as flooding because the maximum flood level was already considered during the construction, the DPWH official said. (DPWH-ESDEO)