Survivors of collapsed Isabela bridge share their stories as they recover from injuries

Survivors of the bridge collapse in Isabela have spoken up, a week after the incident.

Jessica Soho spoke to Michael and Lenard, who were in the truck that was allegedly overloaded as it carried boulders and weighed more than 100 tons.

On "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," they revealed that the boulders were intended for delivery to a private resort in Cabagan. To save at least one and a half hours of travel time, they decided to pass through the bridge.

The Cabagan-Sta Maria Bridge, stretching 990 meters in Isabela, opened only in February. According to the report, it took 11 years and P1 billion to develop, and passed through three Philippine presidents. President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III approved the construction in 2014; construction was started under the President Rodrigo Duterte administration in 2017; and was completed on February 1, 2025 under the President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. administration.

It has a maximum capacity of only 44 tons.

To investigate the current situation, Jessica Soho traveled all the way to Isabela.

Michael and Lenard said that a guard allowed them to enter the bridge. They also did not see any sign informing them that heavy loaded trucks were not allowed.

But during their drive, Lenard noticed, "'Yung pakiramdam parang lumindol."

["It feels like there's an earthquake."]

"Bigla pong may tumunog du'n sa likod. Parang naputol na bakal," he said. "Umatras na po 'yung dump truck. Inihampas po du'n."

["Suddenly, there was a sound from behind—like breaking metal. The dump truck then reversed. It slammed into something."]

"Akala ko po mamamatay na ko," he added.

["I thought I was going to die."]

After the accident, the two immediately got out of the truck and went back up to the bridge to warn oncoming motorists. When the rescuers arrived, Michael and Lenard left because they did not understand the language.

Michael also clarified that the truck did not weigh 100 tons.

"Walang 100 tons 'yun. Hindi pang-mining na truck 'yun. Magaan lang 'yun," he said. "Sa dinami-dami naming dinadaanang tulay, wala naman bumibigay. 'Yun lang ang talagang bumigay na tulay."

["Our truck did not weigh 100 tons. It was not a mining truck; it was light. Of all the bridges we crossed, this is the only one that actually collapsed."]

Lenard said through tears, "Wala naman po sigurong may gusto na maputol bigla 'yung tulay kasi hindi naman namin po inaasahan. S'yempre alam namin bago, matibay."

["No one expected the bridge to suddenly collapse. We assumed it was new and strong."]

"Ang masasabi ko lang po du'n sa mga kinauukulan, huwag naman po nilang tipirin sa pondo 'yung ginagawa nila. Kaligtasan naman ng tao 'yun, kapakanan nila, 'di ba? Hindi naman kaligtasan 'yung kanilang bulsa," he added.

["What I want to say to those in charge is that they shouldn't cut corners on funding. People's safety and well-being should come first—not their own interests."]

More survivors speak up

When the bridge collapsed on the evening of February 27, at least six people were injured. Aside from the truck, two cars were wrecked, and one motorcycle flew dangerously. 

Johnny, the driver of the vehicle behind the truck, is now unable to walk properly. Brian, who was also in the vehicle, has cuts and bruises on his head.

They said they saw the road rise like a wave. They even saw exactly what happened, so he quickly tried to move away from the damage.

They were still able to get down from the car and take pictures of the area. They were also able to help out other victims.

Jonathan added, "Kinapa ko 'yung sarili ko, OK naman. 'Yung kasama ko, ginanun ko kung OK siya. Sabi niya OK. Kaya tumulong na rin kami, Ma'am. Takot kaming may mahuhulog na mga debris, pinilit namin tinabon ang sarili namin sa may buhangin. Doon na namin hinintay ang mga rescue."

["I checked myself and saw that I was OK. I checked on my companion and asked if he was alright—he said he was. So we started helping others. We were afraid of falling debris, so we tried to shield ourselves. That's where we waited for the rescue teams.']

However, while waiting for the rescue, they saw the motorcycle fly by. Driving it was a 15-year-old named Jaypee, who was on the way to his older sister. Jaypee has a helmet, but does not like wearing it at nighttime.

According to Jonathan, Jaypee lost consciousness after hitting concrete.

Jaypee is currently recovering at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center, and remains in pain.

According to Dr. Angel Cayetano, Jaypee sustained a head injury, but neurosurgeons determined that he didn't need an operation for it. However, the two broken bokes in his feet require surgery.

Jaypee's father, Ferdinand, is worried how the accident will affect Jaypee, especially because he is a school varsity player and hopes to become a police officer.

"Baka hindi na puwedeng mag-criminology kasi may tama sa paa. Kaya malungkot ako, naputol ang pangarap niya," Ferdinand said.

["He might not be able to pursue criminology anymore because of his leg injury. It breaks my heart that his dream has been shattered."]

Meanwhile, another driver named Ronnel from Sta. Maria was on the road to Cabagan to get medicine for his child Kiefer who had a fever.

When the bridge suddenly gave in, "Ang sinisigaw na lang namin is, 'Lord, Ikaw na ang bahala sa amin!'" Ronnel said. 

["All we could do was shout, 'Lord, we leave it all to You!"]

Kiefer, who was also in the car, said that his feet hurt when they fell. Kiefer is a cancer survivor, and his feet are now fractured. Ronnel has several broken bones across his body. His wife, Dinky, has a compression fracture on her spine and is traumatized.

Kiefer said he is simply grateful to be alive.

Investigating the bridge

"KMJS" interviewed structural engineer Cresencio Natividad, who examined the Isabela bridge.

Natividad said that he is unsure of the DPWH's computation that the truck weighed more than 102 tons.

"'Yung sabi ko nga, that's the computation of DPWH. Probably may konting exaggeration. Baka that will include din 'yung mga other load na naiwan. Nandu'n din kasi 'yung mga other vehicle."

[That's the Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) computation. There might be some exaggeration. Maybe it also includes other loads that were left behind, as there were other vehicles on the bridge as well."]

Design-wise, the engineer said that the arcs are not for aesthetic purposes as it will help carry large loads.

"Kung solo-solo niya, hindi niya kakayanin talaga. That's why naglagay tayo ng arc na may mga tension rod to help carry actually ito," he said. "Hindi siya aesthetic. Meron po tayong tinatawag na transfer of load. 'Yung load na binubuhat nu'ng deck slab natin, nata-transfer siya."

["If the bridge relied solely on its own strength, it wouldn't have been able to support the load. That's why we incorporated an arch with tension rods to help distribute the weight—it's not just for aesthetics. This process, called load transfer, allows the deck slab to shift the weight effectively."]

Natividad added, "Dapat may other team na magbabantay din, mag-che-check doon sa ginawa nung design, pag-che-check nung ginagawa ng contractor aside from the DPWH lalo't mga special project ito."

["There should be an independent team that monitors and evaluates the design and the contractor's work—separate from the DPWH—especially for special projects like this."]

A DPWH representative also told "KMJS" that the carrying capacity is actually 30 cubic meters.

"Pagka sinabi mo 1 ton per cubic meter, edi 30 tons ka na kaagad. Plus the tail weight of the 15 tons 'yung truck. More than more than ka na."

["If you estimate 1 ton per cubic meter, that's already 30 tons right there. Add the truck's own weight of 15 tons, and you're already way over the limit."]

The foreman of the company that owns the truck also agreed with Michael that it did not weigh more than 100 tons.

As proof, the company weighed a similar truck to the one that got in the accident. The truck itself only weighs 19 tons, while the boulders are at 41 tons, totaling to 61 tons.

Bonoan also told "KMJS" that it is "a big challenge" that bridges do not have weighing stations for cargo trucks.

"I can accept that as a predicament. Because we cannot put all weighing stations in all places. At saka itong tulay kasi na ito is in a secondary road lang. 'Yung mga nakita mong weighing stations are along the primary roads," he said.

["I can accept that as a predicament because we can't place weighing stations everywhere. Additionally, this bridge is on a secondary road, while weighing stations are typically found along primary roads."]

Bonoan added, "We are actually trying to engage the participation of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines to help us out in the process of determining the structural stability of the bridge now so that we can proceed with the reconstruction of the damaged portion or adjust the structure in itself."

Bonoan also addressed how the public would see bridges costing billions as objects of ridicule, as these would eventually collapse, and not be convenient or functional, and that there is corruption involved. 

"You cannot really afford to compromise the structure as designed. So if there would be any, kuwan for corruption na sinasabi, sige, sabihin na natin, it would be very minimal, sa tingin ko," he said.

["You cannot afford to compromise the structure as designed. So if there were any allegations of corruption—let's say, for the sake of argument—I believe it would be very minimal."]

"Proper engineering is very important at the very beginning. You have to be sure that your assumptions are correct, and the way you design this is correct," he added.

He said that the bridge's construction firm, R. D. Interior Junior Construction, has been around since the time of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Bonoan added that this is the company's first incident.

The President also gave them "full instructions that we have to be very transparent in all the infrastructure projects that we are undertaking now."

The DPWH is still deciding on the liability of the truck drivers or the company owners.

"Kasi pumasok sila doon, notwithstanding na meron naman kaming—meron nilagay na they are not allowed to pass by. Only light vehicles were allowed actually, nakalagay dun—nakapaskil," Bonoan said. 

["They still went through, notwithstanding the fact that we had a sign posted stating that they were not allowed to pass. Only light vehicles were actually permitted."]

In an interview, Albert Cañete, the engineer who designed the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge, he said "Dapat kapag gano'ng kalaking project, mayroon nagsu-supervise na consultant. Dito sa case na ito, parang ginawa ng DPWH, sila lang ang nag-supervise. Ang sitwasyon kasi pag nagde-design kami ng tulay, may sinusundan kaming bridge code. Kaya lang itong bridge code na ito, nakabase sa American Code." 

["For projects of that size, there should be a supervising consultant. In this case, it seems that the DPWH handled the supervision themselves. The situation is that when we design bridges, we follow a bridge code. However, this bridge code is based on the American Code."]

"Hindi naman lahat ng tulay delikado sa overloading kasi 'yung karamihan ng tulay na maiksi lang tapos kongkreto, parang lalo na 'yung pre-stressed, mataas 'yung reserve strength noon ng pagka-design namin. Kaya nakakaya niya 'yung overloaded. Pero 'yung mahaba na bakal, kahit na bago, kahit na luma, basta ang dinesign mo siya sa 14.7 tons tapos 100 toner na truck ang dumaan, hindi talaga siya kakayanin. So maka-compromise 'yung delikado," he added.

["Not all bridges become dangerous when overloaded because most short, concrete bridges, especially pre-stressed ones, have a high reserve strength in their design, allowing them to handle overloading. However long steel bridges—whether new or old—are a different case. If they're designed for 14.7 tons and a 100-ton truck crosses them, they won't be able to handle the load, making them structurally compromised and dangerous."]

KMJS also reached out to former DPWH Secretary Senator Mark Villar, but he did not provide a response to the interview request.

To address the issues surrounding the DPWH, Bonoan said, "We have a motto here, 'Build better more.' In the next few years, we will see that there will be many major projects that will be underway. And the infrastructure landscape of the Philippines will be much, much for better na makita natin under this administration." —JCB, GMA Integrated News