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President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr on September 27 inaugurated the P8.3-billion Panguil Bay Bridge, now Mindanao’s longest water-spanning bridge
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The 3.16-kilometer bridge connects Tubod, Lanao del Norte and Tangub, Misamis Occidental
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It cuts travel time from end to end to just seven minutes from more than two hours
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The bridge will benefit more than 10,000 travelers daily
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr on September 27 inaugurated the P8.3-billion Panguil Bay Bridge, now Mindanao’s longest water-spanning bridge, noting the project will boost economic activity in Northern Mindanao.
The 3.16-kilometer bridge connects Tubod, Lanao del Norte and Tangub, Misamis Occidental, cutting the more than two-hour travel time to just seven minutes and benefiting more than 10,000 travelers daily. It is part of the administration’s infrastructure flagship project.
Marcos said the government, its partners and other stakeholders surmounted various roadblocks to finally complete the project. “From the 1998 pre-feasibility study conducted on the bridge to the moment it broke ground in 2018, this bridge encountered very many challenges,” the President said, including project suspension due to the pandemic and a stop to funding.
Marcos cited the story of a local entrepreneur who expects her business to benefit from the structure’s opening.
“This inspiring woman, Ms. Erlinda Mojica, runs a small business, dedicated to providing fresh produce to her community,” the President said.
“Before, when the barge closed at night, there was no choice but to take the long route around the bay, wasting a great deal of time. Now, they can transport their goods whenever they need, no time lost, according to their own schedules.”
Marcos acknowledged the support of the Korea government and Korean EXIM Bank for the project.
“And before lest anyone think that this project between the Republic of Korea, the Economic Development Cooperation Fund and through Eximbank of Korea is an isolated project, I would just like to show everyone how many EDCF [of Korea] projects are ongoing in the Philippines,” he said.
According to the President, there are 21 ongoing South Korea-backed projects in the country with two more in the pipeline. He said some of them are the biggest projects in the Philippines as he stressed the depth of Korea’s involvement in the country.
“That is how involved and how much the Economic Development Cooperation Fund of Korea has been part of all our development programs and all our aspirations for making our people live in a much safer, much more efficient and much more helpful lifestyle,” the President pointed out.
