The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has officially signed the contract agreement for the detailed engineering design (DED) of the highly anticipated Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges Project.
DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan approved on December 20, 2023 the Contract for Consultant’s Services of Yooshin Engineering Corporation in a joint venture with Kyong-Ho Engineering and Architects Co., Ltd., Dohwa Engineering Co., Ltd., Soosung Engineering Co., Ltd., and Dasan Consultants Co., Ltd for the DED and tender assistance, a crucial step forward in the realization of this key infrastructure flagship project in Western Visayas Region.
Secretary Bonoan said that the start of DED for Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges Project is another monumental undertaking of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. under the “Build, Better, More”program that will improve the lives of the people and simultaneously achieve economic stability in the areas in the Region.
The ₱2.671 Billion contract was signed by DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain and joint venture engineering companies authorized representative Mr. Jeong Hwan Kim with DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Roads Management Cluster I (Bilateral) Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, DPWH OIC-Chief Accountant June E. Balisi and Kyong-Ho Engineering and Architects Co., Ltd. President Jae Hun Ryu as witnesses.
According to Senior Undersecretary Sadain, the cost of engineering services will be funded by a loan with the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), the official export credit agency of South Korea from the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) Loan Agreement No. PHL-23.
This is one of the many partnerships and collaborations of the Philippine Government with the Republic of Korea that continue to strengthen and further promote unity and friendship, towards economic growth and development formed by the two (2) countries, added by Senior Undersecretary Sadain.
The DED is targeted to finish by 2025 and will be immediately followed with the civil works from 2025-2032 covering the construction of the 32.47 kilometer two (2) sea-crossing bridges and connecting roads that will link Metro Iloilo of Panay Island to Guimaras Island Province and Negros Island in Western Visayas.
Section A will house the Panay-Guimaras Islands with a total length of 13-kilometer with an estimated civil works cost of ₱57.702 Billion. Meanwhile, Section B covers the 19.47 kilometer Guimaras-Negros Islands bridge amounting to an indicative cost of ₱109.76 Billion.
Once completed, this project is anticipated to reduce the travel time from Panay Island to Negros Island from a 4-hour trip via ferries/RORO down to approximately one (1) hour land travel using the PGN Island Bridges.
