ILOILO City – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Region 6 is optimistic that the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Bridge’s construction will begin two years from now.
According to NEDA-6 officer-in-charge regional director Arecio A. Casing Jr., the detailed engineering design (DED) is being drawn up, with two Korea-based groups qualified to submit bid proposals namely: 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.
The PGN bridge project has two components. These are the 13-kilometer Panay-Guimaras, or Section A, which will have a sea-crossing bridge length of 4.97 kilometers; and the Guimaras-Negros, or Section B, with a total length of 19.47 kilometers, including a sea-crossing bridge length of 13.11 kilometers.
Casing prefers simultaneous construction if the contractor has the capacity to do so.
An update on the project will be presented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the Regional Development Council (RDC) this October.
DPWH is the project implementing agency while NEDA serves as the coordinating body.
Casing also shared Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson’s full support for the proposed PGN bridge.
Recently, the director met with Lacson to seek the province’ endorsement for the original project plan, wherein the town of Pulupandan serves as an entry/exit point in Negros.
Lacson promised that the Provincial Development Council (PDC) will pass a resolution.
Casing hopes this would be done on or before October 2022 when the RDC will hold a full council meeting with its new chairman, Bacolod City’s Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez./PN
