The DPWH Region 08 installed a portable weighbridge station at the Biliran bridge approaching Leyte. Facebook/Gerard Espina Full

MANILA — Biliran province has declared a state of calamity after prohibiting heavy vehicles from using a 48-year-old bridge that viral videos have shown swaying from the weight of traffic.

In Resolution No. 321, the Biliran Provincial Council emphasized the importance of the bridge as "a primary connection between the Province of Biliran and the mainland of Leyte", serving as a link to transport goods and people.

The council said engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Biliran and DPWH Regional Office 8 conducted a technical assessment of the bridge and found "[damage] on the bridge components under the deck slab"  — like bridge stringers and steel cross bracing, among others.

It said the damage was attributed to corrosion, exposure to saltwater and "the continuous daily moving loads," the council also said.

Biliran officials recognized the impact of restriction of heavy vehicles on the bridge, saying it is causing "significant disruptions in the transportation of goods and essential supplies" and affecting the local economy.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) had also recommended the declaration of a state of calamity after assessing Biliran bridge "to address the economic and logistical challenges" from the restricted use of the bridge.

'WAVES' ON BRIDGE

Earlier this week, the cracks and the "wave-like" movements of the Biliran bridge caused worry among residents, motorists, and social media users.

Some even had to stop riding midway for their safety.

The DPWH immediately restricted large vehicles from crossing the bridge, though they explained that the bridge's swaying is "part of its design".

"Actually this is a 50-year-old bridge, steel bridge, and it's part of its design — that it will sway when a vehicle passes by," said Erwin Antonio, officer-in-charge in the Office of the District Engineer of DPWH Region 8.

The DPWH has recommended the following to address the situation:

• Transportation via barge is advised for heavy influx of cargo trucks and fuel tankers

• Major replacements of damaged components

• Light vehicles still allowed to pass the bridge

The Biliran provincial government meanwhile is calling for the construction of an additional bridge between Leyte and Biliran.

Gov. Gerard Espina already announced on Facebook that his office wrote the provincial council to draft a resolution to call for the construction of another bridge.