BRIDGE FOUNDATION A shipment of 37 giant steel pipes that will be used to build the foundation of Panguil Bay bridge arrives at Iligan City. The 3.7-kilometer bridge, a flagship project of government, will link the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Ports Authority)
MANILA, Philippines — The construction of the Panguil bay bridge in Northern Mindanao is already 69 percent complete as of May 2023, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported.
In a statement on Wednesday, DPWH said the 3.17-kilometer sea-crossing bridge project is expected to be 90 percent finished by December 2023.
By March 2024, it should be 95 percent done.
Following this timeframe, the bridge will be opened by June 2024.
The P7.37 billion Panguil Bay Bridge will connect Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, to Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
Travel between the two provinces takes two to two and a half hours.
The department said the trip will be cut to seven minutes when the project is built.
DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain said this milestone for Mindanao would contribute to the area’s development.
“This valuable infrastructure project will greatly enhance economic growth as it will serve as a vital gateway that connects and further strengthens the region’s infrastructure, providing seamless transportation of goods and services,” he said.
DPWH noted the bridge construction took longer than the initial timeline due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Building activity resumed in 2022.
Panguil bay bridge is funded by a loan agreement between the Philippines and South Korea through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund.
Korean joint venture contractor NamKwang-Kukdong Gumgwang is the contractor of the project.
— Maria Liezl Projella, trainee
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