Trucks up to 30 tons now allowed to pass San Juanico Bridge

The iconic San Juanico Bridge, which links Samar and Leyte in the Visayas, has clearly seen better days. Years of neglect and inadequate maintenance have taken their toll, forcing authorities to limit its use and allow only light vehicles to pass. Heck, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the repair bill will cost PHP 5.9 billion. President Ferdinand "Bong Bong" Marcos Jr. even placed Eastern Visayas under a State of Calamity to expedite the repair of the said bridge.

But recently, the DPWH announced that heavy vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of up to 30 tons are once again allowed to cross the bridge.

“Effective December 17, 2025, trucks with GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT (GVW) OF 30-TONS are allowed to cross the San Juanico Bridge from 10:00 PM-5:00 AM on a ONE-WAY-AT-A-TIME basis,” said the DPWH announcement.

The DPWH also reminded truckers that the planned daytime dry run allowing heavy vehicles to cross the bridge has been postponed until further notice. In the meantime, trucks are strictly required to observe the 30 km/h speed limit and maintain a minimum distance of 40 meters from the vehicle ahead.