The government of Republic of Korea is ready to extend financial support in the conduct of engineering services for the much-awaited inter-island bridges project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Western Visayas.

DPWH Acting Secretary Roger G. Mercado said that moving forward soon following the completion of supplemental feasibility studies by the Koreans is the detailed engineering design (DED) of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Bridge Project.

The minutes of discussion for the financial support on engineering services including preliminary and detailed engineering design and procurement assistance required prior to the construction of the bridge was signed on Thursday, October 28, 2021 by DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Management Office Operations (UPMO) Emil K. Sadain and Country Director Jae-jeong Moon from Manila Representative Office of the Korea Export-Import (KEXIM) Bank.

The proposed island bridges connecting Panay Island, Guimaras Island and Negros Island has two (2) components.

These are the 13 kilometers Panay-Guimaras or Section A that will have a sea-crossing bridge length of 4.97 kilometers; and Guimaras-Negros or Section B or with a total length of 19.47 kilometers including sea-crossing bridge length of 13.11 kilometers.

The supplementary feasibility study report and engineering service provision for the project was approved by the NEDA Board's Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee in August 2021.

The 32-kilometer bridge is a large and complex project which requires comprehensive and high-standard engineering works that service by consultants who have extensive experience in long-span bridge will help DPWH prepare the construction in an efficient and timely manner, Undersecretary Sadain added.

Source: DPWH Official Page