The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is stepping-up efforts in its preparation of the civil works activities for Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB) Project by discussing anticipated isssues and concerns with maritime agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
DPWH Unified Project Management Office - Roads Management Cluster 2 (Multilateral) Project Director Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim, on behalf of Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan and Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, spearheaded a meeting on November 22, 2023 focus on maritime navigation and traffic to reduce the potential impacts and risks caused by the upcoming major construction works of BCIB Project across the Manila Bay.
The interagency coordination meeting organized by UPMO Project Manager Teresita V. Bauzon together with the detailed engineering design consultant TY Lin International Inc. in joint venture with Pyungwha Engineering & Consulting Co., Ltd. was participated by representatives from Philippine Navy (PN); Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA); Philippine Ports Authority (PPA); Department of Finance (DOF); Bureau of Customs (BOC); Authority of Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB); Corregidor Foundation, Inc. (CFI); and Local Government Units of Cavite and Bataan.
The BCIB Project is one (1) of the infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. under the “Build Better More” program.
In line with the instruction of the President during the BCIB Milestones Ceromony in Mariveles, Bataan on March 31 2023, the DPWH UPMO is committed to immediately commence work and finish this project on schedule.
DPWH intends to come up with viable ways to successfully implement this project with the least disturbance and inconvenience to the maritime affairs in the area during the construction phase.
In his report to Senior Undersecretary Sadain, in-charge of UPMO operations that oversees the implementation of most infrastructure flagship projects being implemented by DPWH, Project Director Hasim said that the interagency coordination meeting tackled the processes of securing government permits and clearances for the expected about a hundred marine vessel, government duties and taxes, navigational studies, vessel routing, maritime traffic management, and other concerns.
During public scoping and community interactions, safeguards related to social, environmental, land acquisition, resettlement, gender, land use, and others were included in the detailed engineering design which will be put in full implementation during construction.
The 32.15-kilometer four (4)-lane BCIB Project by far is the biggest flagship project with a 30.87% economic internal rate of return as it will significantly cuts down travel time between the provinces of Bataan to Cavite and vice versa from five (5)hours down to 45 minutes thereby easing the traffic congestion in Metro Manila as well as in South Luzon and North Luzon gateways.
The bridge alignment in Bataan is situated between the Roman Highway and then traversing the barren land area at Barangay Alas-Asin, and then skirts to the shoreline of Barangay Mountain View in Mariveles while the Cavite alignment will start from the shoreline of Barangay Timalan Balsahan in Naic, then traversing through the agricultural and residential area and terminating at Antero Soriano Highway, which is in a relative flat terrain in Barangay Timalan Balsahan and Barangay Timalan Concepcion.
Funding for the civil works construction of the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge is committed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with co-financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
Civil works construction of BCIB Project is targeted to start by 2024 and will be divided into seven (7) contract packages with the construction to begin first in the two (2) on-land packages, package 1 which is the five (5) kilometer Bataan Land Approach and package 2 which is the 1.35 kilometer Cavite Land Approach.
Packages 3 and 4 are Marine Viaducts in the North and South with a total length of 20.65 kilometers while packages 5 and 6 are the North Channel and South Channel Bridges with a length of 2.15 and 3.15 kilometers, respectively. The 7th package involves a project-wide ancillary works.
Article courtesy of The Department of Public Works and Highways
