President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday highlighted the benefits of the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project on the economy, saying it will ease traffic congestion now that the detailed works on the major infrastructure have started with other stakeholders.
In a media interview in San Juan, the President said one of the advantages of the new infrastructure is easing traffic woes in the area, and the economic benefits of opening up previously not accessible areas in those provinces.
“That will make it cheaper to transport goods, make it cheaper to transport passengers, it will make it easier for the infrastructure to be build up because siyempre mayroon na tayong puwedeng gamitin,” President Marcos told reporters, saying the proponents have already started the pre-engineering and pre-planning for the project.
“The only downside to that is that it takes a long time (to build). It’s a 32-kilometer bridge. A 32-kilometer bridge is the second longest bridge in the world, ang ating ginagawa. So, it will take a little bit of time but I do not see any delays,” Marcos said.
Aside from the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, the administration is now looking closely at the Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge, another long span bridge project that can open the region to business and all other opportunities.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the government and its partners are now inviting international contractors with experience in building such major infrastructure in Luzon.
“Siguro itong first semester, we will now be bidding out ‘yung dalawang land-based segments sa Bataan at saka dito sa Cavite and then by the second semester ‘yung additional two other segments para this year siguro mga four segments kasi anim na segments po ‘yan eh,” Bonoan said.
“So, mahaba ‘yung gitna, ‘yung pinakamahabang segment nito ‘yung 900 meters na cable-stayed bridge, cable-stayed structure. Siguro ay baka mai-bid na rin namin this year,” he said.
The Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge is a project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in coordination with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on its detailed engineering design. PND
