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The Maritime Industry Authority issued special shipping permits to shipowners/operators for new services between Samar and Leyte
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This would help ease transport disruptions brought by the temporary vehicle weight restrictions at San Juanico Bridge
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The 30-day special permits were issued by MARINA Regional Offices 8 and 7 to ALD Sea Transport, Seen Sam Shipping, Inc., and Sunline Shipping Corp. covering eight vessels in four routes
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Aside from the 3-ton weight limit, a 3.2-meter maximum height limit and a speed limit of 30-kilometers per hour are also enforced to ensure public safety and prevent further structural deterioration of the San Juanico Bridge
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) issued special shipping permits to shipowners/operators for new services between Samar and Leyte. This would help ease transport disruptions brought by the temporary vehicle weight restrictions at San Juanico Bridge.
All vehicles exceeding the 3-ton gross weight limit are barred from using San Juanico bridge to make way for a nearly two-year, P900-million rehabilitation to address the bridge’s structural integrity. The development has affected transport connectivity between Samar and Leyte.
The 30-day MARINA special shipping permits were issued by Regional Offices 8 and 7 to ALD Sea Transport, Seen Sam Shipping, Inc., and Sunline Shipping Corp. covering eight vessels in four routes.
This move will “help address ongoing transportation and logistics challenges—particularly the movement of goods and essential cargoes from Luzon to the Visayas—caused by the weight restrictions imposed by DPWH-8 [Department of Public Works and Highways Region 8] on the San Juanico Bridge,” MARINA Region 8 said in a social media post.
According to the revised implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 9295 (Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004), a special permit is a temporary authority issued by MARINA to a domestic shipowner/operator with a valid Certificate of Public Convenience to operate outside of its CPC under certain circumstances, including, among others, a fortuitous event/force majeure, when such services are necessary for the development of any coastal area, island or region in the country; or to meet emergency sealift requirements such as in calamity situations and/or where national interest or security is involved.
A special permit should be issued on a per circumstance basis for a period of not more than three months.
The approved routes and vessels include the following:
– GCG Port in Punta, Ormoc City to Maguino-o, Calbayog City, Samar and vice versa – LCT Poseidon 40, MV Poseidon 48, MV Poseidon 50
– Oanu port, Mandaue City, Cebu to Maguino-o, Calabayog City and vice versa – MV Poseidon 41
– GCG Port to Calbayog City and vice versa – LCT 668, LCT 888, MV LCT 1098
– Maya, Daanbantayan, Cebu/Polambato, Bogo, Cebu to Calbayog City and vice versa – MV Lite Ferry 17
Aside from the 3-ton weight limit, DPWH Region 8 said it is also enforcing a 3.2-meter maximum height limit and a speed limit of 30-kilometers per hour to ensure public safety and prevent further structural deterioration of the San Juanico Bridge.
All vehicles must pass through the center line of the bridge and a one-way crossing only at a time, with a 15-20 minutes interval for each direction.
Vehicles must also maintain a minimum distance of 50 meters between each other while on the bridge.
Trucks and heavy vehicles, meanwhile, should proceed directly to the designated ports “to help reduce traffic at both bridge entry points.”
The Philippine Ports Authority earlier said it has finalized the list of operational ports that can be used instead of the San Juanico Bridge.
In Leyte, these ports include in Tacloban, Ormoc, Palompon, Calubian, and Hilongos.
Ports in Samar are in Calbayog, Manguino-o, and Catbalogan. Other ports that are operational are Biliran port, Naval port and Maasin port in Southern Leyte.
DPWH Region 8 said those involved in the traffic management have been deployed onsite, namely the Land Transportation Office, Traffic Management Operations Management and Control Office, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, DPWH personnel, and with help from the local government units.
Holding areas for affected heavy vehicles, and assistance to affected travelers such as provision of tents and portable toilets as well as free transport/ride across the San Juanico Bridge are also being provided.
Palace press officer and Presidential Communications Office undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro, in a Malacañang briefing on May 19, said a task force has been created and public assistance desks on both sides of the bridge will be established while a 24-hour patrol unit has been deployed for safety monitoring.
Weighing stations will also be installed to ensure vehicle weight compliance.
Moreover, Castro said DPWH has promised to deploy 13 shuttle buses on a 24/7 service to help affected passengers.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tacloban-Leyte, Inc. president Eugene Tan in an earlier radio interview warned of supply chain disruptions leading to possible shortages and higher prices of goods in the region due to the cost of freight using Ro-Ro vessels. He expressed hopes the repairs may be fast-tracked.
Samar has been placed under a state of emergency on May 20 due to the bridge repair.
The entire Eastern Visayas region was placed under blue alert status on May 16 by the Regional Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council because of the bridge repairs.
Under the blue alert status, all regional response teams and assets must be on standby for possible deployment to areas affected by load limit restrictions. Agencies may use their respective quick response funds for the purpose.
