MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has acknowledged the importance of the government’s foreign policy in the creation of multi-billion infrastructure undertakings, particularly inter-island linkage projects (IILP).
During the first of the three-part series of pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Friday, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar acknowledged that foreign technology assistance is needed for infrastructure projects in the country to proceed and materialize.
“Our longest bridge is 2-km. long. An inter-island is as far as 20 km. So we need foreign technology, need assistance from Japan, China and other countries. Kaya maganda foreign policy ng Pangulo, friends to anyone. Lahat tutulong para maging matagumpay ang infra programs natin (That’s why the foreign policy of the President is good. We are friends to anyone, to those who will help make our infra programs succeed),” Villar said after presenting the performance report of the Infrastructure Cluster (IC), which he heads.
Villar noted that they need the partnership with neighboring countries that have the experience in building mega structures and projects.
“Because of the technology (on) inter-island bridges, we need cooperation from our neighbors because they have the experience on inter-island bridges,” he said.
Villar said the 14 bridges under the IILP are the most challenging of all the projects under the IC.
“Inter-island bridge projects, engineering-wise, (are) very challenging. The planning stage is big, long, world-class and we have not done anything (of) that magnitude. Very challenging,” he said.
“The IILP, we are in the advance planning stage. All the feasibility studies would be finished late this year or early next year. So there are many projects in the pipeline. We decided which is viable and which can proceed. Ang importante naka-pipeline na sila lahat (It’s important that they are all in the pipeline) and ready for implementation if we decide,” he added.
The 14 IILPs, which will be a series of short- and long-span bridges linking island provinces to eventually connect Visayas and Mindanao to Luzon via land travel, are the Bataan-Cavite Interlink measuring 28 km.; Camarines-Catanduanes Friendship Bridge, 10.7 km.; Mindoro-Batangas Super Bridge, 15 km.; Panay-Guimaras-Negros Link Bridge, 19.2 km.; Luzon (Sorsogon) – Samar Link Bridge, 18.2 km.; 4th Mandaue-Mactan Bridge, 0.42 km.; and Cebu-Bohol Link Bridge, 24.5 km.
Also included are the Negros-Cebu Link Bridge, 5.5 km.; Panguil Bay Bridge, 3.77 km.; Leyte-Surigao Link Bridge, 23 km.; Bohol-Leyte Link Bridge, 22 km.; Guicam Bridge, 0.44 km.; 3 Tawi-Tawi Bridges, 0.78 km.; and Davao-Samar Bridge, 4.4 km.
A total of PHP8 trillion has been allocated to finance the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program from 2017 to 2022. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
