ACTING Public Works Secretary Victor Domingo has ordered the speedy repair of a bridge in Batangas, which serves as a key supply lane for oil terminals and depots in the area, to avert a possible oil shortage of supply in Metro Manila.

Domingo said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office, under director Bonifacio Seguit, is working round the clock to repair the “Bridge of Promise” in Batangas, which was damaged at the height of Typhoon Santi, killing two people on October 31.

He said the DPWH is giving priority to the repair and rehabilitation of destroyed bridges in Southern Tagalog to help local traders move and transport goods.

“That ‘Bridge of Promise’ in Batangas had collapsed recently. It is being used by gas tankers to transport gasoline from the depot in Batangas to Metro Manila,” Domingo said.

Domingo said there are “bridge materials” ready to be brought for the damaged bridge in barangay Calumpang for the repair work to start.

Manuel Bonoan, DPWH undersecretary, said the bridge materials Domingo was referring to would come from the Australian Steel project and will have to be diverted to Batangas so as not to unduly disrupt the supply of fuel and goods to Metro Manila.

Bonoan said there will not be an immediate fuel shortage because there is an alternate road and bridge where fuel trucks can pass through.

“There are detour roads where people and fuel trucks can pass through,’’ he said, although he admitted that these alternate routes can increase travel time.

Seguit explained that the repair of the 105-linear-meter, four-span bridge would cost P76 million and will take about three months to finish.

“We will have to secure steel components from other areas and give priority to the construction of the ‘Bridge of Promise.’ We can also realign the 2010 pork-barrel funds of Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas to finance the immediate repair of the bridge,” Seguit said.