THE project procurement including the design of the long-awaited Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge will start in December this year, Public Works Undersecretary Emil Kiram Sedain said yesterday, November 10.
"Finally, the project procurement will be moving while the detailed design itself will be starting by December," Sedain said.
The making of the design will take about two years and will cover the area from Iloilo-Guimaras-Negros Islands. It has an initial funding of P185 billion.
Sedain was in Pulupandan in Negros Occidental yesterday for the inspection of the town’s coastal area facing the Guimaras Strait.
The official was accompanied by Mayor Miguel Antonio Peña. He also met with Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer.
In Negros Occidental portion of the proposed bridge, Sedain said, it will start in Pulupandan crossing the Guimaras Strait to San Lorenzo town, Guimaras and will further cross towards Leganes in Iloilo province.
"The connectivity of these two big islands can be ascertained once we have them connected. The economic prospect can really push the economy. It's a big connectivity," Sedain pointed out.
One thing for sure, he said, "the bridge will be iconic once constructed."
Peña, for his part, said the bridge will have "big economic impact for Pulupandan, especially in terms of livelihood.”
A study of the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) showed that Panay-Guimaras bridge will have a sea crossing bridge length of 4.97 kilometers, while the Guimaras-Negros bridge portion has 13.11 kilometers of sea crossing bridge length.
Earlier, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said that Korean Exim Bank committed to funding the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) and civil works for the Panay-Guimaras segment, while they are still looking for funding for the Guimaras-Negros segment.*