History of Carlos P. Romuo Bridge (Wawa Bridge)

According to Brgy. Wawa resident Baltazar Junio, "the Wawa bridge (later renamed after UN Secretary General and Foreign Affairs Secretary Carlos P. Romulo) used to be a wooden bridge when it was built in 1945." This year of construction was corroborated by DPWH officials in their public statement.

Junio continues: "The wooden bridge was destroyed by the great flood of 1972."

"Then in the late '70s, the new concrete bridge that we have now was constructed, and was completed and inaugurated in 1983." Another Wawa resident claims that she saw the construction work was already ongoing by 1976.

Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Yolanda Sotelo estimated that the date of project completion is 1982 since she covered the event as provincial government reporter, with Romulo, no less, in attendance, so this is another corroboration of fact, although there is a one year difference with Junio's recollection.

I myself visited my uncle's place in Wawa every barrio fiesta since 1976, and even experienced crossing the river by boat, and I didn't see a concrete-and-steel bridge rise until much later. Other residents (my high school classmates Benjoe R. Agbuya and Melvin Garay) attest to the year 1983 since they were bodily present to witness the inauguration rite, so it must be the most accurate year.

From the unpublished account of local historian, Dr. Clarita Jimenez, the "inauguration of the Wawa Timber Bridge was on February 15, 1970, and it was said to be the longest timber bridge in the Philippines consisting of 38 spans measuring 1,160 feet." In this account, she must be referring to the wooden bridge before it was swept away by the 1972 flood mentioned by Junio. So it is possible that another wooden bridge must have been reconstructed after 1945, and every time a major typhoon caused a major flooding of Agno River and a major damage to the bridge. Other old-timers like her (e.g., Joey Ferrer) swear that they had not seen any wooden bridge when they crossed the river by boat in their younger days.

DPWH adds that "2012 is the date of rehab (re-decking). July 28, 2022 is the date of inspection after the earthquake," in which no damage was found.

Junio concludes, rightly, I think: "The ill-fated bridge is now almost 40 years old."