BY GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO City – The South Korean government through the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank) is considering providing a loan for only the Panay-Guimaras bridge of the proposed Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) mega bridge project.
“There are no possible lenders (at the moment) for the Guimaras-Negros (bridge) because that is the longer version so mas daku ang (fund nga) kinahanglan,” disclosed former senator Franklin Drilon.
A bridge connecting Panay and Guimaras has been on the drawing board for decades but never materialized due to funding issues.
Then tragedy struck – 31 people crossing the Iloilo Strait by motorboat drowned in August 2019, highlighting the necessity of the bridge project.
Calls for it became insistent because it became clear that Iloilo-Guimaras boat trips were at the mercy of the weather and this endangered the lives of travelers.
The lack of a bridge connecting the island of Guimaras to Panay deterred its economy, too, from reaching its full potential.
The PGN bridge project has two components. These are the following:
* 13-kilometer Panay-Guimaras bridge, or Section A
* 19.47-kilometer Guimaras-Negros bridge, or Section B
The Panay-Guimaras bridge will have a sea-crossing bridge length of 4.97 kilometers while the Guimaras-Negros bridge has 13.11 kilometers of sea-crossing bridge length
Early this week, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Region 6 expressed optimism that the PGN bridge’s construction will begin in two year’ time.
According to Drilon on Friday, however, the feasibility study for the proposed bridge had been revised, too.
An earlier study was conducted by the Chinese government because initially it was supposed to fund the project. But it eventually backed out.
“So the government had to look for a new funder. It was able to discuss and secure an agreement with the Korean Eximbank,” said Drilon.
This change in project financier necessitated a new feasibility study.
Incidentally, the Korean Eximbank is also the one funding the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project – Stage II the construction of which is currently ongoing in Calinog, Iloilo.
According to Drilon, he was informed that the new feasibility study for the PGN bridge project had been completed and that by December they should be able to come up with a consultant who will do the detailed engineering design (DED).
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is the implementing agency of the PGN bridge project.
“My understanding is that given the magnitude of the project, it will take probably about 18 months for the detailed engineering design to be finished. Therefore, we are looking for a possible bidding or civil works in about two years’ time that they can start the appointment of the contractor and the actual construction,” said Drilon.
According to NEDA-6 officer-in-charge regional director Arecio Casing Jr. early this week, the DED was being drawn up, with two Korea-based groups qualified to submit bid proposals. These were the Yoshin Co. and Sambo Engineering and Construction Co.
The DED stage includes programs of works, project cost estimate, and the final bridge design.
“It would take around one year to complete the DED, then it will be the procurement stage which includes the financing component to be determined by the Department of Finance. After procurement is the construction phase,” said Casing.
Actual construction may take about two to three years, depending on the final design, he added.
An update on the project will be presented by the DPWH to the Regional Development Council this October./PN
