LUZON CONNECTIVITY | Construction work will begin this year for a P175-billion bridge (pictured in this computer imaging) that will connect the provinces of Cavite and Bataan. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) says the new 32-kilometer bridge can cut travel time from Metro Manila to Bataan from the current five hours to about 30 to 40 minutes. (DPWH PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — The government will start this year the construction of the P175 billion inter-island bridge that would connect the provinces of Cavite and Bataan, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Tuesday.
At a Palace briefing, Public Works Secretary Emmanuel Bonoan said the cable-stayed bridge would be a “very significant project,” which is seen to cut travel time from Manila to Bataan from five hours to about just 30 to 40 minutes.
Bonoan said the construction of the 32-kilometer bridge over Manila Bay, would be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The DPWH earlier said the bridge would link Barangay Timalan, Naic, Cavite, and Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan.
“We told the president that it will be ready within the year, actually to break ground the implementation of this very significant bridge,” Bonoan told reporters in Malacañang.
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“The detailed engineering is now ongoing, it’s about 70 percent complete,” he said, adding that the bridge would have four lanes.
According to Bonoan, the project is expected to be finished in five years or before the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ends.
He said the bridge would spur economic growth not only in Luzon but in the entire country as well.
“The growth corridor is actually in the Southern part of Metro Manila and the other growth corridor is North of Manila. So, with this bridge, I think, you will have more direct access between these two growth areas,” he said.
“No less than the Asian Development Bank has indicated that the economic rate of return of this bridge is more than 25 percent and that’s big, that’s really big,” he added.
The DPWH earlier said the bridge would be the “largest and longest iconic bridge” in the country.
In the same briefing, Bonoan said the government would also start the groundbreaking of six bridges that will be constructed across Pasig River this year.
He said three of the bridges would be funded by the ADB while the other three would be funded through official development assistance from a Chinese bank.
“These are the projects that had been presented by the President during his visit in China,” he said.
On Tuesday morning, Bonoan met with Mr. Marcos in Malacañang to brief him on the projects completed by the DPWH, including those set for groundbreaking this year.
“The Department of Public Works and Highways for this year, for 2023, is going to implement more than 70,000 projects actually, including major projects and local projects all over the country with a budget allocation of about P890 billion,” he said.