ILOILO City – The projected economic returns of the proposed bridge linking Iloilo and Guimaras provinces were “not as best” as the other proposed infrastructure projects of the government, according to Sen. Cynthia Villar, citing a feasibility study of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
For this reason, the proposal is not being prioritized, she revealed in a virtual press conference yesterday.
“I think the best project (DPWH) has so far is the one connecting Bataan to Cavite. It’s important that the connecting provinces should be very progressive so that there will be economic returns for the project,” said Villar.
In the proposed Iloilo-Guimaras bridge, “Iloilo is very progressive but Guimaras is not,” she pointed out.
“So it’s not daw in the priority list… they’re continuing with the study but ‘yon ang initial result ng study. The economic benefit is not as big as others,” said the mother of Public Works secretary Mark Villar.
In February this year, Secretary Villar announced they already completed the prefeasibility study for the proposed Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) bridges but he refused to provide a time line.
For his part, according to Ilonggo senator and Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon who was in the same virtual press conference, the PGN bridges won’t materialize under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The six-year Duterte administration ends in June next year.
But even under the next administration, the project will get off the drawing board only if it is prioritized, the funds are available, and if the feasibility and engineering studies are favorable, said Drilon.
PGN bridges are divided into two sections: the 13-km Panay-Guimaras Bridge and the 19.47-km Guimaras-Negros Bridge. Linking the three major islands in Western Visayas, the project is seen to improve the transport of agricultural products that can lead to inclusive growth.
Drilon said, “Initially, the funding (for these) bridges were under (Duterte’s) Build-Build-Build program, and (also) committed to be funded by the Chinese government.”
But China eventually backed out.
Drilon said he is tapping the Korea Export-Import Bank of South Korea – the same entity that funds the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project – Stage II currently under construction in Calinog, Iloilo – to look into the mega bridges project.
The dam project is expected to be completed by 2023./PN