Nat’l gov’t sticking to plan for bridge linking Guimaras to Negros Occidental – guv

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson | photo courtesy of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental Facebook page

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday announced that the national government is sticking to its original plan to connect the Guimaras bridge to Negros Occidental through Pulupandan town.

Regional Director Arecio Casing Jr. of the National Economic and  Development Authority (Neda) informed Lacson late last week that the Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridges will push through, and asked for the  Negros Occidental Provincial Development Council’s (PDC) endorsement of the original plan.

Lacson on Monday said the Negros Occidental PDC would move to endorse the bridge project in its next meeting.

The governor said Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer informed him that the fourth district of Negros Occidental is now amenable to the bridge connecting to Negros through Pulupandan instead of Bago City.

“We will need a Provincial Development Council resolution supporting that,” Lacson said.

READ: Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge may start soon, says Iloilo mayor

Meanwhile, the Neda’s proposed Negros Expressway from Bacolod City to Kabakalan City is still in the planning stage, Lacson said.

“We should not get too excited because the timetable for it is 2030 to 2040,” Lacson said.

“The Neda is just doing its advance planning as a study will have to be conducted,” he added.