By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
A few days after the unthinkable — the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge collapse in Isabela — President Bongbong Marcos said it was due to a “design flaw” coupled with overloading when a truck carrying 102 tons of quarried stone tried to cross.
He was quick at a conclusion, rushing to issue a statement with little consideration, if at all, for the credentials of the bridge’s designer or the actual engineering principles involved.
I won’t be the one to say it is a flawed conclusion because, in the first place, I was quicker to accuse corruption as the culprit in this tragic incident — one that injured six people.
Over the weekend, Engr. Alberto C. Cañete gave a detailed interview to Rappler — which dedicated much space for a litany of engineering marvels attributable to the seasoned structural engineer. It even referred to him as a “bridge expert.”
So, why would a well-funded bridge that underwent a P1.22-billion retrofitting with the expert design of one revered engineering authority as Cañete collapse?
Well, let’s assume that if there’s anyone who understands bridge failures and specifically the design of this particular bridge, it’s him. And according to Cañete, the design was not the problem — the grossly overloaded truck was.
He said the bridge was built to handle 54 tons, yet the truck that crossed it weighed 102 tons — practically double the limit. Add to that two other heavy vehicles that supposedly tipped the overall weight on the bridge to over 200 tons.
So, it does not take a genius to conclude that the real problem was not in the blueprint but in the blatant disregard for weight restrictions.
The blame falls squarely on the truck operator who overloaded it, and more damningly, on the authorities who should have ensured that such vehicles were never permitted on roads, much less on a bridge with a clear weight limit.
Beyond this, Cañete raises an alarming question: Was the bridge constructed as designed? What is even more sinister than weight violations is the plot that there might have been shortcuts in construction.
Confident in his design, the bridge expert suspects that the DPWH regional office in Cagayan Valley might have skimped on hiring construction management and supervision consultants. These are critical safeguards meant to ensure that every detail of the project follows strict engineering standards.
If the investigation does lead to this type of flaw: cutting corners on oversight for a billion-peso bridge so that the hefty portions of the budget could be pocketed by certain “public servants,” then we’re back to corruption as the ultimate culprit.
Perhaps, Mr. President, you shouldn’t be looking for the engineer who designed the bridge but for officials who designed the system that allowed this to happen. Because if a bridge collapses under the weight of corruption, no amount of engineering can hold it up.
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