34 hurt as hanging bridge collapses in Batangas

By Ronron
February 16, 2007

Thirty-four people, mostly female high school students, were hurt after the hanging bridge they were passing through in Batangas province gave way on Friday morning.

Chief Insp. Jonathan Tangongan, chief of San Juan Municipal Police Station, said the incident happened at around 8:20 am as some 167 first year female high school students were on their way to a hiking activity in Barangay Mabalanoy.

The activity was part of their being members of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP).

Tangongan said the victims, composed of 32 students of Batangas Eastern Academy (aged 12 and 13 years old), a 62-year-old female vendor, and a 10-year-old boy, were walking through the 50-meter long, one-meter wide, and 30-meter high hanging bridge when it suddenly snapped from one end.

The bridge is located at the back of the public market of San Juan.

“We found out that the cable was already very old. But I am not sure if that is the source of the collapse. But at that time, many people were passing along. There was also no notice about the weight capacity of that bridge,” Tangongan said in Filipino.

The victims landed on the muddy creek below the bridge, leaving them with gashed wounds, lacerations, fractures, and broken bones, although none so far have been reported to be in serious condition.

Tangongan said the victims were brought to the San Juan District Hospital and Duque General Hospital in San Juan, and to other hospitals in Lipa City.

Because of the accident, the hiking activity of the students was cancelled./DMS