STATEMENT OF SEN. RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR. ON THE COLLAPSE OF CARLOS P. ROMULO BRIDGE IN PANGASINAN

NAKAKADISMAYA ang pagbagsak ng Romulo Bridge sa Pangasinan. Nakakalungkot din ang hindi bababa sa apat nating kababayan ang nasugatan, at mas marami pa ang naapektuhan dahil sa insidenteng ito.

Maaari naman sanang naiwasan ito kung ginawa lang ng DPWH ang kanilang trabaho na siguruhing laging nasa mabuting kondisyon at tibay ang mga imprastruktura para sa kaligtasan ng publiko.

As the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Works, I call on the Department of Public Works and Highways to be proactive in auditing and inspecting all existing public infrastructure to ensure their structural integrity. Hindi dapat na hinihintay pa ang lindol, bagyo, o iba pang sakuna bago pa kumilos para suriin ang tibay at kondisyon ng mga tulay, daan, at iba pang imprastrakturang ginagamit ng taumbayan.

Kailangang siguraduhing matibay ang pundasyon ng mga pampublikong imprastraktura sapagkat kaligtasan ng ating mamamayan ang nakataya dito. Failure to conduct timely inspection and retrofitting of public infrastructure puts the safety and lives of our countrymen at risk.

The recent collapse of the bridge in Pangasinan is a glaring example of the injurious effects of crumbling infrastructure.

But prior to that, a recent video that circulated on social media showed a part of the flyover from 32nd Street in Bonifacio Global City leading to C-5 Road which was already dilapidated, and ready to collapse at any given time. Labis na nakakabahala.

Nananawagan din tayong mabilisang maisaayos ang mga ito upang hindi mapilay ang transportasyon sa mga lugar na yan. Immediate repair and restoration should be done to avoid impeding the transport of perons, as well as the flow of goods and services.

Dapat rin na pangunahan na ng DPWH ang koordinasyon sa pagpapatupad ng weight limit, kung hindi man sila mismo. They have to make sure our national infrstructures are used properly.

Infrastructure should always be kept in check in order to ensure that they remain fit for safe use and/or passage. Equally important, aged infrastructure must always be retrofitted so that they remain compliant with the demands of the times and the current standards. Hindi dapat natatapos sa ribbon cutting ang pagpapahalaga sa ating mga pampublikong imprastraktura. Higit pa sa mga seremonyas, ang pinakamahalaga ay panatilihin itong matibay. Durable, safe and sustainable - these are the hallmarks of good public infrastructure because lives are on the line with their failure. Kahandaan ang susi sa kaligtasan. -30-