MISSING CONTEXT: P23-million Southern Leyte bridge built without a river

Claim:

A P23-million bridge in Bontoc, Southern Leyte, was constructed even without a river beneath it.

A graphic circulating on social media compares the P23-million bridge to the P28 million that was spent for the crushed dolomite of the newly-opened white sand beach along Manila Bay. Both have been criticized for their seeming lack of necessity.

A post containing the claim was flagged by Facebook Claim Check, a tool that detects dubious content on the platform.

Rating: MISSING CONTEXT

The facts:

The bridge, which was constructed before the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, was built to fix a road that was prone to collapsing.

The photo of the bridge in the graphic was uploaded by GMA’s news show 24 Oras. GMA reported on the bridge in October 2019.

GMA’s video report on this bridge – dubbed the Buenavista Slab Bridge – was titled, “Tulay na P23-M ang halaga, itinayo kahit walang ilog.” (Bridge that cost P23 million was constructed even without a river.)

The video cited the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) statement that the bridge was the only way to fix the road, which was prone to collapsing due to soft soil underneath as well as a creek or waterway in the lower part of the soil. In addition, the railings also served to protect passersby. The GMA report also featured a resident who attested to the way the road would keep collapsing.

Rappler also reported on this bridge in 2016. DPWH District Engineer of Southern Leyte Ma. Margarita Junia told Rappler that that section of the Bato-Bontoc road had already collapsed about 3 times due to the soil underneath that would dissolve during heavy rains. Thus, they resorted to building a bridge.

Rappler also fact-checked supposed photos of the San Benedicto Bridge in Surigao, which turned out to be photos of structures located in other countries. – Loreben Tuquero/Rappler.com

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