Depressed? Seek counselling, don’t jump off the bridge

WITH the rising cases of attempted suicides at the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III yesterday said he will convene the board that manages the facility to identify measures to discourage people from jumping off the bridge.

“We cannot stop people from killing themselves, but we at the (Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management) Board are looking at how to discourage them from jumping off the bridge,” said Davide.

He said those who are depressed or have problems should immediately seek counseling or support from their families, instead of jumping off the bridge which would not only cause anguish to their loved ones but also public disturbance.

Provincial Board Member Sun Shimura, chairman of the committee on public safety, proposed that Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel be placed at both the first bridge and the Marcelo Fernan Bridge to provide security there.

Shimura said he was willing to author a resolution making the request, but still has to study whether the PB has jurisdiction over the matter.

“Where will the province tap the personnel? The provincial office or the local government units involved? Ultimately, I will have to give the ball to the governor,” Shimura said in a phone interview.

There are currently no guards assigned at any of the two structures linking Cebu and Mactan.

The board met in March this year, mainly to discuss the resumption of repair works on the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge.

The last time the board discussed suicide incidents was in November 2014, following the death of a woman in her thirties who jumped off the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge.

It was proposed then that the railings on the bridges be extended upward to make it more difficult for people to climb and jump off.

However, this was never realized due to considerations on its effect on the aesthetics of the bridges.

The board opted to instead repair the defective closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and paging systems on the bridges.

There are 17 CCTV cameras on the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge while there are 23 on the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge. Each bridge is also equipped with two paging systems.

Lani Guinto, Bridge Board secretary, said the next meeting of the MCBMB this year is scheduled for July yet. But she said the governor can always call for an emergency meeting.

A man in his 20s jumped off the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge last Saturday while a 30-year-old man identified as Dennis Caballero Sipsi was found hanging under the structure on Wednesday afternoon. Both incidents caused traffic congestion on the bridge.