When a Bridge Fails, a Nation Falters: The San Juanico Case and the Cost of Poor Governance

In a country where roads and bridges serve as the veins of national progress, the decision to close the San Juanico Bridge for repairs may seem like routine infrastructure management. But a closer look reveals a much deeper, more troubling issue — one that speaks volumes about our governance, planning systems, and even the state of our electorate.

The San Juanico Bridge, an iconic structure connecting Samar and Leyte, was inaugurated in 1973. That makes it over 50 years old — well beyond the typical service life of major bridges without significant retrofitting or reconstruction. Yet despite its age and importance, we are only now seeing concrete steps to address its structural health. And that comes in the form of a closure, not a replacement.

This is more than an inconvenience. San Juanico is part of Asian Highway 26 (AH26) — a strategic route that links Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It's not just a local road; it is a national economic lifeline, part of a larger international trade and logistics network. The decision to close it without a replacement bridge ready or even in progress is not just poor planning — it's systemic negligence.

But the question is deeper: How did we get here? How could such a critical piece of infrastructure be left to rot?

The answer may lie in a painful truth — some people in government simply lack the competence or foresight to anticipate consequences. And worse, these people may be in power not because of merit, but because of popularity, political connections, or worse — vote-buying.

In a country where millions (estimated 19 million) are functionally illiterate, we see the long shadow of weak civic education. Voters often do not understand what qualifications matter. Campaigns become contests of cash, not vision. Promises are replaced with payouts. And when leaders are elected not for what they know, but for who they know or what they give, we end up with underqualified people making decisions with national consequences.

It’s not just about one bridge. It’s about how decisions are made. It’s about how critical infrastructure like the AH26 highway and San Juanico Bridge are neglected despite their national importance. And it’s about how every missed plan, every unbuilt structure, and every preventable disruption adds up to billions in lost productivity, investor confidence, and national morale.

We must ask: If our leaders truly understood the impact of closing this bridge, would they have allowed it to reach this point? If our agencies had the right people with the right tools and foresight, would there not already be a second bridge, wider, modern, ready to carry the growing load of commerce?

The failure to act isn’t just administrative. It’s a symptom of deeper institutional illiteracy, one born from a voting public that has been underserved, misinformed, and manipulated. Until we address the root of this dysfunction — through civic education, accountability, and meaningful electoral reform — our bridges will keep failing, and so will our future.