ILOILO City – The long-anticipated Panay-Guimaras Bridge, a key segment of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges project, is moving closer to reality with the completion of its detailed engineering design (DED).
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 confirmed that Yooshin Engineering Corporation, in collaboration with multiple international consultancy firms, submitted the DED for the Panay-Guimaras segment (Section A) to the Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) for review and evaluation.
“We are awaiting the recommendations from the UPMO. Once approved, it will be submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for final clearance,” DPWH-6 director Engr. Sanny Boy Oropel said.
Construct ion Timeline
After NEDA’s approval, the procurement process for civil works will begin in the first quarter of 2025.
Construction is expected to start by June 2025 and finish before June 2028, aligning with the end of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s administration.
Project Overview
The Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges project, estimated to cost P170 billion, aims to enhance inter-island connectivity and boost the regional economy.
Section A, which spans 13.004 kilometers and connects Leganes, Iloilo in Panay to Buenavista in Guimaras, has a budget of P57 billion.
Meanwhile, the Guimaras-Negros segment (Section B), measuring 19.47 kilometers and linking San Lorenzo, Guimaras, to Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, is expected to begin construction after 2028.
The entire project includes 32.47 kilometers of sea-crossing bridges, connecting roads, and interchanges.
Detailed Features
Section A – Panay to Guimaras
* Approach road (Panay and Guimaras) – 8.03 kilometers
* Approach Bridge 1 – 3.24 kilometers
* Main Bridge – 1.4 kilometers
* Approach Bridge 2 – 0.33 kilometers
Section B – Guimaras to Negros
* Approach road (Guimaras and Negros) – 6.36 kilometers
* Approach Bridge 1 – 7.2 kilometers
* Main Bridge – 1.4 kilometers
* Approach Bridge 2: 4.51 kilometers
Economic and Strategic Importance
Once completed, the project is expected to reduce travel time between Panay, Guimaras, and Negros Islands from three to four hours to under an hour. It aligns with the Philippine National Development Strategy by providing safer, faster, and more convenient inter-island transportation.
The detailed engineering design for Section B is expected to be finalized by December 2025, further propelling the project forward.
Last year, project consultants engaged with the Iloilo provincial government, presenting the timeline and strategic goals to Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, representing Governor Arthur Defensor Jr./PN
