The proposed Negros-Panay Bridge being championed by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., yesterday led to discussions on the issue of interconnectivity among major Visayan islands as a long term measure to decongest key urban centers, including Metro Manila.

Marañon, chair of the Western Visayas Regional Development Council, pointed out in a closed-door meeting with Regional Director Ro-ann Bacal of the National Economic Development Authority, before the start of the 4th Quarter RDC Meeting in Iloilo City, that the groundwork for the proposed bridge should start soon as technical requisites and related studies, including soil boring tests, take a long time.

Also present at the closed door meeting were Negros Occidental Board Member Salvador Escalante, Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Director Edilberto Tayao, NEDA assistant regional director Raul Anlocotan, and Negros Occidental Police Director Milko.

Bacal was asking Marañon for possible major infrastructure projects that the NEDA VI and RDC VI can adopt and give a strong push for next year, since the NEDA National Board, chaired by President Aquino himself, already approved in October this year the expansion of both the Iloilo International Airport and the Bacolod-Silay Airport for P30 billion and P20 billion, respectively.

The Negros-Panay Bridge is initially estimated to cost P40 billion, the governor said.

It has been proposed that the bridge be built somewhere in Barangay Tomontong, E.B. Magalona, which is the shallowest point, facing Ajuy, Iloilo.

There are also suggestions that it should start in Valladolid or Pulupandan to be connected to Guimaras Province, then to Iloilo City. But the DPWH regional office said there has been feedback from Guimaras that the province does not want to become a transit point over issues on carrying capacity and disturbance that the construction may trigger to its natural environment, among others.

Escalante said there is no doubt that the Negros-Panay bridge will fast -track the growth of the Western Visayas countryside.

Marañon said that connecting the islands will consequently decongest Metro Manila, because it would then be more inviting and encourage people to return to their provinces once they see thriving economic activities going on in the regions.

As of now, he noted, 70 percent of our resources are concentrated in the National Capital region, and the 30 percent is being divided among regional centers.

Marañon and Bacal agreed that the approval by the NEDA Board of the expansion of the Iloilo and Silay-Bacolod airports that is expected to begin in 2016 through public private partnerships, is timely because, once completed, both airports can already land international flights which are currently concentrated in Manila and Cebu.

“Visayas is the most fragmented. If only we can connect Cebu, Negros and Panay, then we can be very strong,” Bacal said.

Mayor Agustin Bascon of Himamaylan City and Sipalay City Mayor Oscar Montilla also attended the RDC meeting yesterday.*

back to top