Bacolod City – Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson recently said that it is “highly possible” that the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) bridge will be materialized within the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., considering its importance to Western Visayas.
Arecio Casing, regional director of the National Economic Development Authority, disclosed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Project Management Office is expected to turn over the detailed engineering design of the bridge next month.
The 32.47 km PGN Island Bridge Project, with a total cost of P187.53 billion, is targeted to be completed in 2030.
When the design is available, Casing said a bidding can proceed and a contractor will be known.
Anytime that you can connect the islands, Lacson said “that will always bring positive results.”
We are hopeful that it will finally happen, considering that it is already ongoing, citing the preparations, study and design. It’s all there, it just needs the final launch of the said project, he added.
The linkage of the Panay-Guimaras bridge will comprise a sea crossing bridge of 4.97 kilometers, while the Guimaras-Negros will also comprise a sea crossing bridge of 13.11 kilometers, excluding the road connections within the three islands, according to DPWH.
Pulupandan town will be the bridge entry and exit point at Negros Occidental, to and from Guimaras.
The project is classified as a rural expressway with two sea-crossing bridges, connecting roads and interchanges that will connect the three main islands of the region. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds photo by tvds)