Oops! Footbridge collapses, sending lawmakers, local officials into water

ZAMBOANGA CITY (UPDATED) - A portion of the footbridge of the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R) project collapsed on Thursday morning, sending two lawmakers, a mayor and local officials into the water.

Congressman Albee Benitez, chairperson of the Commission on Housing and Urban Development was with Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco Salazar, District 1 Representative Celso Lobregat and officials of the National Housing Authority to inspect the housing projects in Sitio Hongkong, Barangay Rio Hondo when the makeshift wooden footbridge collapsed and they all fell into the water.

Some officials were hurt from the fall.

Prior to the accident, Mayor Salazar and Cong. Benitez were already talking about having the footbridge cemented.

"In a way, it is a blessing also that it happened to us so that we will really be able to see for ourselves the quality. It's really substandand and it had to happen to the three of us," the mayor said.

The footbridge gave in as it could not hold the weight of all the visitors, said NHA-9 Regional Manager Alfonso Borlagdan.

Aside from the footbridge, beneficiaries also complained about the lack of water and electrical connections at the Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina housing projects.

The NHA vows to address the beneficiaries’ complaints within 5 months.