THE Philippines has secured funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to build one of the longest marine bridges in the world, the construction of which will already be set in motion next month.
Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Benjamin Diokno, on behalf of the Philippine government, signed a loan agreement with ADB Country Director for the Philippines Pavit Ramachandran for the first tranche of financing for the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB) project on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, at the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, the DOF said in a statement.
The four-lane bridge spanning 32.15 kilometers will connect Bataan and Cavite provinces across Manila Bay with the aim of decongesting Metro Manila.
It will cut the travel time between these two provinces to just 45 minutes from the current five hours, hugely reducing logistics costs as well.
According to the ADB’s Advance Contracting Notice on the project dated Nov. 16, 2023, the bridge will start in Barangay
Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan, cross Manila Bay and end in Barangay Timalan, Naic, Cavite. The bank said the project will include a U-Turn facility near Corregidor Island for future connection.
Lenders
The project, an Infrastructure Flagship Project under the Marcos Jr. administration’s Build Better More program, is projected to cost US$3.91 billion (P219.31 billion), with the ADB financing over half of this.
The ADB approved financing of up to $2.11 billion (P118.32 billion) for the project’s construction, with the first tranche of the loan at $650 million (P36.22 billion).
To complete the funding for the project, $1.14 billion (P63.71 billion) is proposed to be co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, while the Philippine government will fund the remaining $664.23 million (P37.28 billion), the DOF said.
Tourism, evacuation
The project will not only complete the transport loop around Manila Bay but also better link Metro Manila to Central Luzon and the nearby provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, auguring well for economic activity in these areas, the finance department said.
“The improved transport connectivity will promote deeper regional economic integration and spur economic activity within NCR (National Capital Region), Calabarzon and Central Luzon,” Diokno said.
In its data sheet on the project, the ADB said the project would boost tourism for Bataan Province and Corregidor Island as well as “support the development of Port of Mariveles as a premier international shipping gateway, hence expanding the overall port capacity of Manila Bay.”
It added that in times of disaster, the BCIB could be used as the main evacuation route for the people of Bataan, Cavite, Rizal and south NCR.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan; Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista witnessed the signing along with ADB vice president Scott Morris; ADB managing director General Woochong Um, and ADB director-generals Ramesh Subramaniam, Winfried Wicklein and Emma Veve.
Bidding
In a separate statement, DPWH senior undersecretary Emil Sadain said the invitation to bid for the first two contract packages will be published in January 2024.
Last July, the DPWH revealed that Package 1 would be the five-kilometer land approach including the interchange in Bataan while Package 2 would be the 1.35-kilometer land approach including the interchange in Cavite.
The other packages would be the 20.65-kilometer marine viaducts in the north and south under Packages 3 and 4; the 2.15-kilometer North Channel Bridge for Package 5, the 3.15-kilometer South Channel Bridge for Package 6, and project-wide ancillary works for Package 7.
Construction is expected to be completed in five years, both the DPWH and the ADB said.