DPWH urged to start construction of Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge

Congressmen from the Visayas have urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to start the construction of a bridge that will link the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros.

The P42-billion bridge is expected to bolster the economic growth of Western Visayas.

“The project shall improve transportation connectivity and efficiency and promote regional economies by way of enhancing productivity, attracting investments and generating more revenues for localities in the region,” the Visayan Bloc (VB) said in a statement.

The statement was signed by VB convenors Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, and Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Trenas.

VB also called on other members of the House of Representatives to support the project, which is part of the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration.

Once completed, the project will erase the record of the San Juanico Bridge as the longest in the country.

The first phase of the ambitiuos project is the 14.3-kilometer Panay-Guimaras link and the phase two is the 5.7-kilometer Guimaras-Negros link.

In a previous report by IMT News, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the construction of the bridge may start before the end of 2018.

According to him, a Chinese company will “most likely” undertake the project.

SOURCE: Iloilo Metropolitan Times

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