TUBOD, Lanao del Norte — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Wednesday led the groundbreaking ceremony of the P7.8-billion Panguil Bay Bridge (PBB) project that will connect this town and Tangub City, Misamis Occidental.
Duterte was received by local officials led by Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, 1st District Rep. Mohammad Khalid Quibranza Dimaporo, 2nd District Rep. Abdullah "Bobby" Dimakuta Dimaporo and Tubod Mayor Leoncio Bagol, along with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar and Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han-Dong Man.
Villar said the two-lane 3.7 kilometer extradosed-type bridge will shorten the travel time between the two provinces to seven minutes from one and a half hour via a barge from Mukas Port in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte to Ozamis City.
"PBB, which is expected to be completed in 2021, is the first of 16 bridges to be built that will connect Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao under the Duterte administration's flagship ‘Build, Build, Build’ program," Villar said.
DPWH earlier confirmed that the road right-of-way issues on both sides of the bridge have already been addressed.
Duterte, in his speech, thanked the Republic of Korea.
"This is their gift for us and there's more. Korea has a special attachment to the Filipino people. You know why? We fought in the Korean war and a lot of Filipinos died," Duterte said.
He said the bridge will also shorten travel time from Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City to the cities of Ozamis, Oroquieta, Dipolog and Dapitan, which will eventually improve the local economy.
Funded under the Korean Economic Development Cooperation Agreement, PBB is being built in consultation with Yooshin Engineering Corporation in joint venture with Pyunhwa Engineering Consultants Ltd., and Kyong-Ho Engineering and Architect Co. Ltd. who won the bidding under the Philippine Government procurement program.
The Lanao del Norte Provincial Government is overwhelmed with the President himself leading the groundbreaking ceremony.
"I am so happy that finally, after more than 30 years, this project was realized and then, no less than President Duterte came here para sa groundbreaking. The people here are really very happy. It's a dream come true what had just happened here," Lanao del Norte Governor Quibranza-Dimaporo said.
Dimaporo added that Panguil Bay Bridge will bring investors to Lanao del Norte.
"This bridge is like the door of investment, not only in Lanao del Norte but even in Misamis Occidental, Ozamis City and Tangub City. We have so many tourim attractions here. In fact, the bridge will also become a tourist destination because it has a design, it has a character and it's the longest in the Philippines," she said. (WLBacelonia/PIA)
