BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Provincial Development Council (PDC) has expressed support for the Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge project.
The PDC passed a resolution endorsing the project during the 3rd Quarter PDC meeting held at the provincial capitol’s social hall here last Friday, Sept. 9.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said regional director Arecio Casing Jr. of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) had asked the Negros Occidental PDC for the endorsement of the original plan.
Lacson said the national government is sticking to its original plan to connect the Guimaras bridge to Negros Occidental through the town of Pulupandan.
In a separate interview, Casing said earlier this week that the detailed engineering design (DED) of the project was being drawn up, with two Korean 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 next month.
The notice to proceed is expected by December and the DED will be finished in 20 months.
The DED will be funded under a loan worth P3.3 billion to be extended by the Korea Export-Import Bank. The loan will be payable in 40 years without interest.
The project involves the construction of 32.47-kilometer bridge, including two sea-crossing bridges spanning five kilometers for the Panay-Guimaras segment and 13.11 kilometers for the Guimaras-Negros section./PN
