The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has announced the opening of the Cabagan-Santa Mara Bridge in Isabela.

On the image, shared by the DPWH, the newly-installed steel bridge is a temporary solution to replace the collapsed section of the bridge, which aims to alleviate the difficulties of the commuters travelling from Cabagan to Santa Maria, vice versa.

“Inutusan po tayo ng Pangulo, ni PBBM, na pumunta dito para, sabi niya, maghanap muna tayo ng temporary na solusyon kasi nakita naman natin 'yung hirap ng mga kababayan natin, yung mga constituents dito sa Isabela na kailangan pa nilang magbangka at tsaka tumawid dito sa malaking ilog para lang makatawid mula Cabagan papuntang Santa Maria and Santa Maria papuntang Cabagan,” DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon said

[“The President, PBBM, ordered us to go here to look for a temporary solution because we have seen the struggles of our fellow citizens and our constituents here in Isabela who need to use boats or pass through wide river, travelling to Cabagan to Santa Maria and Santa Maria to Cabagan.”]

The bridge collapsed on February 27, 2025.

One of the reasons of collapse was the passage of a 100-ton truck. However, President Bongbong Marcos Jr. stated that it was about the design.

“Who is responsible, basically who made the design, because their design is poor,” he said in March 2025

According to Nel Maribojoc’s report on March 2025, the President also noted that the project’s original budget (1.8 billion pesos) had been reduced. 

“Ang project cost nito ay 1.8 billion, so binawasan under 1 billion para makamura,” PBBM said

Additionally, Sen. Alan Perter Cayetano revealed that 12 spans of the collapsed bridge were found defective, which contradicts the report of the DPWH (under former Sec. Manuel Bonoan), where there are only 5 defective spans in the bridge.

“Labingdalawa yung may problemang span hindi lima. Every single span, may problema,” the Senator said