Plans revealed for network of 16 bridges to connect Philippine islands

bridges
The proposed Panay-Guimaras-Negros Link Bridge.

Plans for a network of 16 long-span bridges to connect the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have been revealed.

Public Works and Highways Chief Mark Villar said that the bridges would run from Bataan in Luzon to Tawi-Tawi in Mindanao. 

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The proposals are being considered as part of the ‘Build Build Build’ programme, Villar said as he spoke at the Pre-SONA 2018 Forum in Pasay City today (Friday, July 6).

Previously, we have reported on an $5 billion scheme to build eight inter-island bridges spanning 105 kilometres, or more than 65 miles.

Today’s bridge-building proposal includes: 

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  • Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (28 km) 
  • Mindoro-Batangas Super Bridge (15 km) 
  • Camarines-Catanduanes Friendship Bridge (10.7 km) 
  • Luzon (Sorsogon)-Samar Link Bridge (18.2 km)
  • Panay-Guimaras-Negros Link Bridge (19.2 km)
  • 4th Mandaue-Mactan Bridge (0.42 km)
  • Cebu-Bohol Link Bridge (24.5 km)
  • Bohol-Leyte Link Bridge (22 km)
  • Leyte-Surigao Link Bridge (23 km)
  • Negros-Cebu Link Bridge (5.5 km)
  • Panguil Bay Bridge (3.77 km)
  • Guicam Bridge (0.44 km)
  • Davao-Samal Bridge (4.4 km)
  • Three Tawi-tawi Bridges spanning a total of 0.78 km

Villar said that out of the 16 proposed bridges, the Panguil Bay Bridge is now on its final conceptual design with construction scheduled to start later this year.

This bridge will connect Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, and Tubod, Lanao Del Norte. Once completed, travel time will be reduced from two-and-a-half hours to just 10 minutes.

It is scheduled for completion by 2021.

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The other bridges are still at the stage of feasibility studies, which are being funded by the Asian Development Bank.

“We are on the planning stage. All feasibility studies will be finished by late this year or early next year. Many projects are being prepared,” he added.

“We will decide [once the feasibility studies are done] which project is viable or may not be economically viable but if it might be economically viable, eventually we will decide depending on the cost.”

As of yet, funding has not been allocated for the 15 proposed bridges.

“We have different methods [for raising funds], we can [get help from the] private sectors, it might be from overseas assistance and be locally funded,” he said.

“Because of the technology of the bridges, we need the cooperation of our neighbours because they have experience in inter-island bridges.” 

Currently, the longest bridge in the Philippines is the San Juanico Bridge, which spans a little over two kilometres. 

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