According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Panguil Bay Bridge project in Northern Mindanao, funded through a loan from the Korean Export Import Bank, is 63% complete and on pace to open in the first half of 2024. According to DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, the project will be open in public in 2024 if the DPWH will work around the clock to improve the procedures put in place to make up for the delays resulting from the previous stoppage of activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which lasted from March 16 to July 2020.
The bridge will connect Lanao del Norte’s capital Tubod with Tangub City in Misamis Occidental, cutting travel time from two to 2.5 hours through a 100-kilometer road or a roll-on, roll-off vessel to under 10 minutes. When finished, it will become the longest water-spanning bridge in the country, surpassing the 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge that connects the islands of Samar and Leyte.
Panguil Bay Bridge Project history
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Panguil Bay Bridge took place in November 2018. The bridge is expected to be finished in November 2021, however, it faced a lot of delays along the way. The Panguil Bay Bridge is being built as part of the government’s Build, Build, Build initiative using a build-transfer-operate (BTO) model. The PH7.375 billion bridge, funded by a credit arrangement between the Government of the Philippines and the Korean Export-Import Bank, not only reflects a long-held dream of the Philippines, but it also represents a long-held dream of the people of Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Occidental, but also marks a turning point in the evolution of the design and building of a modern bridge with sea offshore excavation depths of up to more than 50 meters.
Here’s a brief historical background of the DPWH Panguil Bay Bridge construction:
- Multiple consultants completed feasibility and construction studies for the Panguil Bay bridge project between 1998 and 2008. SAMBO Engineering completed a final feasibility study. The International Contractors Association of Korea (ICAK) under Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport supported the study.
- The President of the Philippines declared the building of the bridge to be an essential infrastructure project for the Mindanao region in 2006.
- In October 2014, the project evaluation report (PER) was presented to the Investment Coordination Committee-Technical Board (ICC-TB), which supported the project for submission to the ICC-Cabinet Committee for approval.
- The project was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board in 2015.
- In June 2017, a joint venture (JV) of Yooshin Engineering Corporation, Pyunghwa Engineering Consultants, and Kyong-Ho Engineering & Architects was awarded the contract to offer project consultancy services. The companies assist DPWH with project design, documentation, pre-construction, and post-construction supervision.
Following the completion of all 54 bored piling works, the building of the 36 abutments and pier column, 32 coping, and the incremental launching method (ILM) for the superstructure began on both ends at Tubod and Tangub City. While around 336 workers work around the clock on finishing the project by December 2023, the bridge building was hampered during the last quarter of 2022 by the frequently wet conditions and strong currents of Panguil Bay.
Panguil Bay Bridge design and features
The design and construction of this longest bridge, which is being carried out by the DPWH UPMO Operations, is part of the DPWH initiative for an integrated and seamless transportation system to improve inter-island connection through the construction of small and long-span bridges.
- The three-span longitudinal extra-dosed bridge will have two pylons and will be built on pre-stressed concrete box girders.
- The main bridge’s longitudinal portion will be 320m long, while the two approaching bridge sections and road connections will be 2.04km and 1.42km long, respectively.
- The main bridge will be 14.5 meters wide and will have two carriageways. The entrance bridge will be a multi-stressed concrete bridge with pre-stressed concrete box girders. The main and approach bridges will be built utilizing free-cantilever and incremental launching technologies, with cast-in-place pile foundations.
The program also includes the upgrading of Mindanao’s logistics infrastructure network and the development of a transportation system, which will have a significant impact on the administration’s plan of action to increase tourism, agricultural, and industrial sectors.
Benefits of Panguil Bay Bridge
Reduce travel time
Panguil Bay Bridge will reduce travel time in Northern Mindanao from hours to minutes. It aims to reduce travel time to just seven minutes compared to the current connectivity between Ozamis City/Tangub City and Tubod via RoRo vessel which is approximately one (1) and a half hours to two (2) and a half hours including loading and unloading time, while land travel over a distance of 100 kilometers is approximately two (2) to two (2) and a half hour.
Mindanao’s socioeconomic will be enhanced
The project will improve transportation capacity and efficiency with the promise that travel time will be reduced to just seven minutes. By providing seamless transit of products and services, the Panguil Bay Bridge will boost economic growth in the Mindanao region.
Return of Investment
Wages collected after constructing a bridge are sent to the development arena. It easily outperforms the investment. It enables a country’s economy to flourish faster than ever before. In this situation, maintenance staff are provided with facilities. They can purchase items to invest in local businesses.
Power Exchange
Bridges create a great link between where there is good money and where there are authentic items. One location provides products, whereas another pays generously for them. This is a power exchange. Workers and investors form a bond in this way. The simplest method of transferring raw materials to industrial locations is used.
Cash flow boost
Bridges boost cash flow by connecting two economically complementary locations. When a high money supply is linked to an area with commodities or services to sell or people in need of work, it can have a significant influence. The same is true when one town has easy access to another that has industries capable of converting raw resources into salable items.
What’s in Northern Mindanao
Mindanao, the Philippines’ second largest island after Luzon, has been referred to as the country’s “pioneer frontier” due to its vast amount of untapped fertile land and the fact that it did not experience substantial growth in population until relocation was encouraged, specifically in the twentieth century.
Northern Mindanao, the Davao territory, the Caraga Region, Soccsksargen, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and the autonomous territory of Bangsomoro are the six administrative regions that make up the island of Mindanao. The cities of Mindanao are developing and expanding, and they are vying on a global scale for security, cultural significance, and economic development. These cities and provinces, including Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato, are brimming with opportunities that draw a lot of tourists and investors from around the world.
The principal crops of the island include corn, rice, abaca, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and coconuts. Cotton, ramie, a fiber plant, coffee, and cocoa are also farmed on the island. The forest sector is also very important to the locals, and there are gold, nickel, iron, and coal deposits.
Further, in an effort to enhance tourism in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Tourism (DOT) will create a “Heritage Trail” that will pass through Cagayan de Oro City, the provinces of Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin. In Cagayan de Oro, first funding of P240 million would be used in 2023 to construct roads linked to local tourist and heritage attractions. Meanwhile, since the bridge will connect Tangub City of Misamis Occidental with Tubod of Lanao del Norte, let’s get to know more about these provinces below.
The land of Lanao del Norte
Lanao del Norte, formally the Province of Lanao del Norte, is a Philippine province in Northern Mindanao. Tubod is its capital. The province of Lanao del Norte vibrates with the exciting cultural diversity of kind and proud people, from its numerous breathtaking waterfalls and soothing coastlines to rocky plateaus and verdant highlands rich in flora and fauna. The province is bordered to the northeast by Misamis Oriental, to the west by Zamboanga del Sur, to the southeast by Lanao del Sur, to the northwest by Panguil Bay, to the southwest by Illana Bay, to the north by Iligan Bay, and to the northeast by Misamis del Sur.
The province has 722,902 residents overall, according to the 2020 census. The highly urbanized city of Iligan, which is located in Lanao del Norte, is governed separately from the province.
A good to know information regarding new infrastructures in Lanao del Norte is the reconstructed Bacolod-Madalum Highway. It now benefits farmers and neighborhood merchants in Barangay Cadulawan in Munai, Lanao del Norte, particularly in transferring regional goods from farms to commercial centers. The P45.7-million project involved building a 1,145-kilometer-long, two-lane road with a concrete-paved shoulder, a canal lined with concrete for 396.3 meters, and slope protection structures installed along winding sections to lower accident risk, particularly during the rainy season. This definitely improved the travel conditions and has led to additional livelihood opportunities and more income brought on by the quick delivery of their goods.
The land of Misamis Occidental
Misamis Occidental is a province located in the Northern Mindanao area. The city of Oroquieta serves as its capital. The province is split from Lanao del Norte by Panguil Bay to the south and Iligan Bay to the east, and it shares a western boundary with Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. The Subanens, who were the first people to live in the province of Misamis, were easy prey for the Lanaoan sea pirates.
Misamis Occidental, which is bounded by water in three directions, is well-known among its neighbors for its gorgeous waterways and abundance of fish and seafood for export. Misamis Occidental has a diverse range of amenities, a rich history and tradition, and an inspirational pilgrimage.
Misamis Occidental, which has a total area of 205,522 hectares and consists of 2 districts, 14 municipalities with 3 cities, and 490 barangays, is situated close to the thin strip of land connecting Northwestern Mindanao to the North-central region of the island, according to PSA in 2018.
Fishing was the province’s primary source of income, followed by the planting of crops including coconut and rice. Their main product is coconut, which is processed into oil, desiccated coconut, and coir, the majority of which is sent to nearby provinces like Cebu (Region 7). Rice, corn, abaca, coffee, cacao, and rubber are some of the additional crops farmed in the province.
Read more: 5 Best Cities for a Home Location in Mindanao
BRIA Homes in Mindanao
What will the BRIA Homes community in Tangub City and Tubod gain after the full completion of the birdge? For starters, traffic will be reduced and you will be able to get around more quickly, improving your way of life as a BRIA Homes homeowner. When you are looking for a house and lot in Mindanao, you now have an affordable house and lot for sale on this side of the archipelago that you can easily purchase.
You might wish to buy a house or piece of property in one of these cities now that you are aware of the benefits and wonders of living in Mindanao. Whether you’re looking for a holiday that will relieve your stress or days filled with thrilling adventure, Mindanao has it all. Leave all of the standards of the outside world behind as you enter the enchanted realm of traditional Mindanao culture and feast your senses in the delights of regional cuisine. BRIA Homes is the ideal place to start if you want to buy a affordable house and lot on one of the lovely islands of Mindanao.
BRIA Homes, an affordable home developer, has received recognition when it was voted the Top home Developer in Mindanao in the Pag-IBIG Fund’s Annual Stakeholders’ Accomplishment Report for 2020. BRIA Homes was named Top Developer in Mindanao for projects in Davao, Digos, Tagum, Panabo, Carmen, and Maco; General Santos, South Cotabato; Kidapawan, Cotabato City; Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog, and Balingasag in Misamis Oriental; and Valencia and Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon.
The rapid success of BRIA Homes may be attributed to its developments’ strategic positions, superb recreational facilities, the security and privacy of its communities, and their proximity to important locations such as hospitals, schools, churches, and retail hubs.
Read more: Bria Homes hailed as Top Developer in Mindanao, Pag-IBIG Fund’s Stakeholders’ Report says
