The Metropolitan Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS) predicts this bridges’ scenario in the aftermath of “The Big One” or the 7.2-magnitude earthquake from the West Valley Fault: seven bridges in the metropolis, at the least, will collapse. I
In preparation for these large seismic waves, the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project (MMPBSIP), which aims to strengthen the seismic resilience of Guadalupe Bridge and Lambingan Bridge, underwent adjustments, foremost of which was a budget increase of 30 percent.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. approved in August 2024 the schedule extension for implementation, budget increase, and other improvements of the said project funded through an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). “This project is vital for our safety as we strengthen our infrastructure to withstand strong earthquakes, such as ‘The Big One’,” he said.
The MMPBSIP, a project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), now has a PHP10.34-billion budget, from the previous fund of PHP7.93 billion.
For context, the Philippines lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an active seismic region, where approximately 80 percent of the world’s earthquakes take place. In the past five decades, the country has had 15 destructive earthquakes which include four major seismic events. These four major earthquakes, which transpired between November and December 2019, registered an average magnitude of greater than 6.5.
Cognizant of the additional traffic congestion that the project will bring, President Marcos directed concerned government agencies to devise a plan, saying: “We have also been working closely with experts to develop a traffic management plan to minimize the impact on commuters.”
The DPWH, following the directive of the President, assured that before actual reinforcement works are done on the two outermost lanes of the Guadalupe Bridge, alternative bridges or temporary detour bridges will be built for both Northbound and Southbound direction starting on August 2025, after the four months preparatory works set on the issuance of the Notice to Proceed tentatively on March 2025. The temporary detour bridges will be constructed within a seven (7) month period and once completed will divert the two outermost lanes of EDSA. Only then will the 17-month retrofitting on the two outermost lanes of the existing bridges begin.
Guadalupe Bridge, which has 10 lanes that run a length of 114.4 meters, connects Makati and Mandaluyong cities, and is also the gateway for motorists to reach the northern and southern parts of the metropolis. Around 365,000 vehicles traverse the 60-year-old bridge each day.
Lambingan Bridge, on the other hand, has six lanes that span a length of 98.1 meters and connects Sta. Ana in Manila and Mandaluyong. Built in 1979, about 30,257 motorists pass by the bridge per day. Lambingan and Guadalupe Bridges are permanent structural links over the Pasig River.
In the 24th Gawad Kalasag Seal and Special Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance in December 2024, the President called on concerned agencies “to continue working together to develop innovative solutions that are science-based, sustainable, future-ready, and establish clear guidelines for more effective disaster-response”.
In September 2023, the World Bank’s Project Information Document (PID) for the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools (ISRS) observed that the Philippines shifted its policies toward a more comprehensive disaster risk management (DRM) from an emergency-centric response. Leading the shift is the creation of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) through the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act (Republic Act 10121) in 2010.
The council rolled out the National DRRM Plan 2011-2028, which underwent an update in 2020. New policy directions were identified to boost investments in resilience, and also prioritized the “building back better” approach in rehabilitation, recovery, and reconstruction, which follow the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
“We must significantly increase our investments and develop financing mechanisms in disaster risk reduction,” President Marcos called on the international participants of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) during the opening ceremony. The conference, themed “Surge to 2030: Enhancing ambition in Asia-Pacific to accelerate disaster risk reduction,” was held in October 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
The President said that sustained and predictable data, and financing would help address disaster risks better. “This entails ensuring that developing countries, particularly the least-developed countries, landlocked countries, and small island developing states, are provided greater access to these resources to advance their policies and build disaster resilience,” he explained.
Under the Marcos administration, the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) selected the Philippines as the host country of its board. The FRLD assists developing countries, which are most vulnerable to the damaging effects caused by climate change, in managing their economic and non-economic losses. The FRLD board is responsible for decisions regarding resource mobilization, fund allocation, and eligibility criteria.
In August 2024, the President signed into law the Loss and Damage Fund Board Act (Republic Act No. 12019) which grants the board, the fund’s governing body, a juridical personality with full legal capacity.
“We’re proud to have a seat on its board among the Asia-Pacific Group, and to have been selected as its host. This ensures our voice, and those of other vulnerable nations, are heard to urgently bring much needed help to those who need it most. With this, we can rebuild faster and protect our kababayans (fellow citizens) from future risks for a safer Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines),” President Marcos said.
Safer and Resilient Schools
Geological and climate disruptions impact school infrastructure in the country which is not only in the Pacific Ring of Fire but also in the Pacific Typhoon Belt. “The Department of Education (DepEd) estimates that at least 65 percent of schools are in high seismic hazard zones, 8,000 schools are near rivers or waterways, 5,000 schools near the coastline, and 1,200 schools located on small islands,” the World Bank document said.
There has been a steady rise in the number of schools where natural calamities left negative impacts. More than 9,800 schools had minimal to substantial damages brought on by tropical cyclones and over 800 schools sustained damages because of earthquakes.
For 2021 to 2023 alone, the DepEd data showed that impacts of disasters on school infrastructure adversely affected 1.6 million learners and 3,500 school facilities. The Calamity and Quick Response Fund of the government could only provide repair and rehabilitation to a small percentage of the total affected school facilities. This left 3,444 school facilities in need of resilient recovery interventions.
Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools
Set to benefit thousands of learners, the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools (ISRS) project to be implemented this year to 2029 by the Department of Education (DepEd) and DPWH was given the green light by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in May 2024. NEDA is chaired by the President.
The ISRS Project will repair, rehabilitate, retrofit, and reconstruct school facilities in identified regions that were significantly affected by recent calamities. The project aims to build more resilient classrooms that can withstand earthquakes, typhoons, and other cataclysmic incidents in the future, ensuring uninterrupted education.
The project has a PHP30.56 billion budget where PHP27.50 billion will be funded by Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the World Bank and PHP3.06 billion will be the counterpart fund from the Philippine government. ISRS will stand to benefit some 1,282 schools, 4,756 school buildings, and 13,101 classrooms.
The ISRS lists three critical aspects of the project: (1) Relatively Simple Works for School Infrastructure Recovery and Operations & Maintenance with a PhP9.65 billion allocation; (2) Relatively Complex Works for School Infrastructure Recovery with a PhP19.81 billion budget; and (3) Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation with a PhP1.1 billion allocation. (PTV)
