DPWH starts repair of damaged asphalt on Panguil Bay Bridge

Repair works commence at the Panguil Bay Bridge on Sunday night (Dec. 1, 2024). | Photo courtesy of DPWH

MANILA – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Monday, December 1, 2024, reported that the repairs on the damaged asphalt pavement of the Panguil Bay Bridge in Northern Mindanao are underway.

In a statement, DPWH Unified Project Management Office-Roads Management Cluster 2 (UPMO-RMC 2) project director Teresita Bauzon said the contractor, Namkwang-Kukdong-Gumgwang joint venture (NKG JV), has started emergency repair works on the Tangub City to Tubod direction on Sunday.

She added the Tubod to Tangub City direction has been temporarily opened to two-way traffic, with round-the-clock repairs being conducted to minimize disruptions.

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Once the Tangub City to Tubod emergency repairs are completed, repairs on the Tubod to Tangub direction will start Monday morning and are targeted for completion at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

All motorists are advised to keep moving at a steady pace and not to stop on the bridge to keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely.

Repair works commence at the Panguil Bay Bridge on Sunday night (Dec. 1, 2024). | Photo courtesy of DPWH

Panguil Bay Bridge

The Panguil Bay Bridge, connecting Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, and Tubod, Lanao del Norte, is a vital infrastructure project expected to boost regional connectivity and economic growth.

Bauzon said the defects on the said bridge are confined to the asphalt pavement on some sections and do not affect the structural integrity of the 3.17-km. long bridge.

She said the contractor has been directed to replace the damaged asphalt pavement at no additional cost, as the completion certificate for the project has not yet been issued.

According to an in-depth assessment of DPWH and the project consultant, Yooshin-Pyunghwa-Kyongho JV, the defects were caused by overloading trucks exceeding the 30-ton design capacity of the bridge.

To ensure long-term quality, the DPWH has also directed the contractor to prepare and submit a comprehensive repair plan. This plan includes a revised asphalt mix design and waterproofing measures to support the full end-to-end upgrading of the asphalt pavement.

The bridge was opened on Sept. 27, 2024. However, some surface damage appeared on the asphalt pavement due to overloaded vehicles crossing the bridge before controls were enforced.

Also, the DPWH said torrential rains have worsened the damage, as rainwater leads to widespread pavement deformation and the expansion of potholes in affected areas.

Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain, meanwhile, said strict enforcement of the anti-overloading policy under Republic Act 8794 is crucial to prevent damage to the bridge’s pavement surface.

By restricting overloaded vehicles from entering the bridge, the policy encourages compliance among truck and trailer operators to adhere to the prescribed gross vehicle weight and axle load limit of 13.5 tons, helping to prevent early deterioration of roads and bridges caused by overloading.

The DPWH UPMO-RMC 2 is coordinating with the DPWH Regional Office 10 to fully operationalize weighing facilities day and night at both ends in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental and Tubod, Lanao Del Norte.

To prevent further damage, portable weighing scales were installed at both ends of the bridge in Tangub City managed by Misamis Occidental 2nd District Engineering Office and Tubod under Lanao del Norte 1st District Engineering Office.

However, 24/7 monitoring has been limited due to funding constraints to sustain the payment of wages of assigned personnel at night.