Have you ever heard of the Pagalungan Bridge? It is a bridge built in Cotabato, Philippines. This bridge has been part of the history and culture of Cotabato since its construction in 1950.
According to the Department of the Public Works and Highways of the Philippines, the bridge was officially completed in 1950 with a length of 243 m and stretched in Rio Grande de Mindanao between Pikit, Cotabato, and Pagalungan, Maguindanao. It has two abutments, one from the Pikit side and one from the Pagalungan side. The bridge has nine piers with a height of 9.80 m, a maximum pier height of 9.20 m, and around a 7.30 m roadway.
The bridge was originally a Steel Truss bridge, a famous bridge designed from the 1930s to the 1950s. Steel Truss bridges are types of bridges that are economical and efficient in terms of handling loads. This type of bridge is constructed from connected elements forming triangular steel patterns. Engineers have analyzed and used truss bridge designs since the 19th century.
The Pagalungan Bridge has been renovated several times over the years due to wear and tear caused by time and weathering. Today, it combines a Steel Truss Bridge and a Reinforce Concrete Beam Bridge. RC Beam Bridge types are renowned for their dependable structural performance. While they can be aesthetically redundant, their built-in redundancy ensures reliable longevity even in the most hostile of conditions – all while requiring little maintenance to remain sturdy long-term. It is the most common bridge type being constructed in the Philippines today.
The Pagalungan Bridge, or the Pulangi Bridge, was one of the first bridges to be built in that area, linking two towns on either side of a river and aiding in transportation between them. This bridge provided an easy route for farmers to transport their crops and livestock from one town to another.
The Pagalungan Bridge is vital, and it is still considered a symbol of strength and perseverance for many locals who rely on it as a means of transportation daily.
The importance of this bridge can be seen not only through its physical presence but also through its cultural meaning to many local communities in Cotabato who have come to know it as part of their hometown. Furthermore, it serves as a reminder that despite hardships, obstacles can be overcome if people work together toward achieving something bigger than themselves.
Do you have more experience or information about the Pagalungan Bridge? If yes, kindly put them on the comments section below. We would love to read them and share about this simple yet essential infrastructure in Mindanao.