Friday, December 08, 2006 Bridges to link Visayas islands okayed
ROXAS CITY -- The proposed Trans-Visayas Friendship Bridges connecting the island provinces of Bohol to Cebu, Bohol to Southern Leyte, Cebu to Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental to Iloilo and Iloilo to Guimaras is now one step nearer to reality with the very strong endorsement of the Regional Development Council in Western Visayas.
The Council chaired by Governor Sally Zaldivar-Perez passed the resolution of the Infrastructure Development Committee endorsing the conduct of feasibility study for the proposed bridges.
It will be recalled that the Provincial Development Council-Executive Committees of Negros Occidental and Iloilo already endorsed the request of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) through Negros Occidental Provincial Development Council (PPC) and Iloilo PPC.
The Infrastructure Committee, which presented the resolution, informed the body that the barangay chiefs of Banate, the identified town in Iloilo where the bridge will be constructed, have also favorably endorsed the proposal.
The proposed Trans-Visayas Friendship Bridges will be in support to the Strong Republic Nautical Highway, a major program of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, connecting the islands of Luzon, Mindoro, Panay, Negros and Mindanao.
The National Government will soon start various infrastructure projects as part of super region-Mindanao that would further boost the economic development of southern Philippines.
The bridges will interconnect Western, Eastern and Central Visayas is expected to further strengthen government's plan for these areas to be the country's center for tourism.
According to the RDC Chair Gov. Perez, the construction of these Trans-Visayas Friendship Bridges is a dream program of the Visayas governors. In fact, Gov. Perez said the governors plan to form a consortium to look for funding agencies that the program can become a reality sooner. (PIA)
