Hole reappears in San Jose Bridge

By Juan Escandor Jr. NAGA CITY---A hole as big as a plate has reappeared on San Jose Bridge even before the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) could set the schedule of rehabilitation work by NFH Construction & Supply, the bridge contractor. The P85M San Jose Bridge has alarmed the local government unit of Pili town when holes appeared last May which endangered motorists and passengers passing the bridge. Pili Councilor John Apollo Manaog, chair of the committee on public works, has formally notified DPWH Sec. Mark Villar about the defective work of the San Jose Bridge last June 2017. Manaog said he requested inspection and assessment of the kind of work undertaken by the NFH Construction & Supply and its rehabilitation. He said the DPWH has sent a team that assessed the status of the bridge. Manaog, who was in Davao City on Wednesday, said they will look into the new holes that are appearing in San Jose Bridge when they come back. Ricky Ragragio, assistant district engineer of the second engineering district, said he will send a team to look into the reappearance of the hole in San Jose Bridge. Ragragio said they still have to set a meeting with NFH Construction & Supply to talk about the scheduled rehabilitation of the bridge. He said one of the major works that will be done is to retrofit the bridge with carbon fiber to strengthen it. Lucy Castañeda, spokesperson of DPWH regional office, said that with the defects found, major repair of the bridge will be undertaken after the celebration of the Peñafrancia fiesta in September. Castañeda said the major repair of the San Jose Bridge includes the epoxy injection, caulking and installation of carbon fiber sheet with water proofing. She said the NHF Construction & Supply has committed to shoulder all the expenses in the rehabilitation of the San Jose Bridge.