MANILA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. has declared a state of calamity in Eastern Visayas in the central Philippines for about one year to hasten the repair and rehabilitation of the San Juanico Bridge, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Tuesday.
The 2.16-kilometer bridge serves as the only permanent land link between the islands of Samar and Leyte and a key component of the Pan-Philippine Highway, which connects Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Under the proclamation, Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways, in coordination with concerned local government units, to "expedite all measures necessary to repair and rehabilitate the San Juanico Bridge fully."
"There is an urgent need to repair and rehabilitate the San Juanico Bridge to ensure timely delivery of essential goods and services and restore regional mobility," Marcos said. ■
