The incomplete Pulangbato Bridge in Barangay Pulangbato, Cebu City, reopened to motorcycle traffic on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, while four-wheel vehicles remain barred until construction is completed.
The original ₱24.05 million contract with SBD Builders Inc. was terminated due to poor performance, leading the City to increase the budget to about ₱28 million under SJ Bonifacio Builders.
Mayor Nestor Archival cited heavy rains, typhoons, an earthquake, construction difficulties, and right-of-way issues for ongoing delays, with the City now targeting completion before the end of 2026.
MOTORCYCLES can again cross the still-incomplete Pulangbato Bridge in Cebu City, giving residents a temporary crossing amid recurring rains, but four-wheel vehicles remain barred until construction is completed.
The bridge in Sitio Candarong, Barangay Pulangbato, opened to motorcycle traffic on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, after the barangay captain asked for access because of worsening weather, according to information shared during a livestream on Mayor Nestor Archival’s Facebook page.
Archival said four-wheel vehicles remain prohibited because the work is unfinished.
Crossings since Odette
The previous steel bridge was damaged by typhoon Odette in December 2021, leaving residents to rely on bamboo footbridges and routes through the riverbed. Rising water and strong currents make these crossings hazardous in rainy weather, and sometimes impassable.
The limited reopening gives some relief to residents traveling between Pulangbato and neighboring upland communities. Once finished, the bridge is expected to improve access to the upland villages of Sirao, Guba and Agsungot.
Contract terminated
Construction began in September 2023 under a P24.05 million contract awarded to SBD Builders Inc. A 60-day extension moved the deadline to Sept. 30, 2024, but the contractor had completed only 36.02 percent of the project by then.
Barangay officials cited a lack of equipment and reported a negative slippage of 63.98 percent.
After the Barangay Council declared a state of emergency over the unfinished bridge in October 2024, the City Council terminated the contract because of the contractor’s poor performance.
The City Government had released about P7 million as a down payment before the termination. It later allocated additional funds, bringing the budget to about P28 million, and awarded the remaining work to SJ Bonifacio Builders.
New contractor, new setbacks
Archival led the groundbreaking for the resumption of construction on Aug. 20, 2025, and directed the new contractor to speed up the work, including extending working hours.
The bridge was initially expected to be finished within six months, and the administration hoped to open it before January 2026. The delays continued.
In March 2026, Archival cited construction difficulties, heavy rains, typhoons and the September 2025 earthquake as factors that slowed the project. He also acknowledged right-of-way problems, such as securing property owners’ consent, as well as building permit requirements.
Last month, Archival reiterated his commitment to finishing the bridge while the City worked to resolve property claims at the bridge’s northern end.
Archival warned in March that further delays could complicate water deliveries to upland communities in the dry season, when water trucks need reliable access.
The City is targeting completion before the end of 2026. / CAV