MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday, November 13, reopened the bridge along Diokno Highway in Calaca, Batangas, two years after it was closed in 2016.

The highway, which connects Tagaytay City in Cavite to Lemery in Batangas, was formerly known as Tagaytay-Junction-Calaca-Lemery Road. It was closed due to road slips and damaged slope protection brought by heavy rains.

On Tuesday, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar led the inauguration of the reconstructed 90-meter bridge, which serves as a vital part of Diokno Highway.

It would cut travel time from Tagaytay City to Lemery by 30 to 45 minutes, Villar said.

“Malapit na naman po ang Pasko kaya siguradong dadagsain ng ating mga kababayan ang Tagaytay at Batangas. Makakaasa ang lahat na patuloy nating aayusin at papatibayin ang mga tulay at kalsada hindi lang dito, kundi sa buong Pilipinas,” Villar said on Tuesday.

(Christmas is near and we’re sure that Filipinos would flock to Tagaytay and Batangas. Rest assured that we will continue to fix and reinforce our bridges and roads not only here, but in the entire Philippines.)

The P86.3-million project began in 2017, and involved the construction of a concrete girder bridge and drainage.

On the map, the bridge stands southwest of Tagaytay City, below the planned Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway. – Rappler.com