Manila, June 11 -- Eastern Visayas officials welcomed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s decision to declare a state of calamity in the region, saying this will expedite government response to the transport crisis and the repair of the San Juanico Bridge.

Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC), said Proclamation 920, signed by the President on June 5, 2025 and is in effect for a year, implies that the Chief Executive is serious in addressing the crisis arising from the 3-ton load limit on the bridge that links Leyte and Samar provinces.

"The presidential visit means he wants to get things done. The RDC has done our part, and the ball is now in the hands of the national government," Gom...