Building bridges

It has been the dream of the people of Western Visayas that a bridge will be constructed connecting the two huge islands of the Visayas and bring closer about ten million people. The easy access from one province to another will have a tremendous impact on the lives of the residents and propel a new era of prosperity. If we consider the social, blood and civil relationships that bind the people of these provinces, the effect is incalculable.

We know that the heritage of the people of Negros is traced to Panay. The migration to Negros during the middle to the 19th century created not only a huge population for this province but also enriched it beyond expectations. If one were to look deeper, the brain and money of Iloilo and the farming skills and brawn of Antique and Capiz lent to the progress of Negros.    

The building of the bridge over the San Juanico Strait that links Leyte with Samar had sparked the imagination and interest of the Ilonggos for a span that would remove the stumbling to faster and more frequent travel within the region.

Some years back Iloilo Cong. Albertito Lopez proposed the construction of the bridge but he was derided. He must have been dreaming.  The idea then was to construct the span from Pulupandan or Valladolid to Inampulugan Island then to Guimaras and finally to Villa through Jordan. The idea did not catch fire as it was too ambitious and we did not have the money.

But the idea did not die. About ten years ago, Occidental Negros Governor Joseph Marañon revived the idea. Nobody laughed as several countries had started to build longer bridges. I passed one from Kuala Lumpur to Penang which was just 2.5 kilometers but it was amazing in opening a 24/7 link between the two islands.

Modern technology has made this kind of project easier. For instance, helicopters carried the steel beams that are welded to another already in place. In the past helicopters that could carry huge war tanks did not exist until the Gulf Wars in the 1990s and more recently in the Iraq War.

Governor Joseph Marañon passed away without any headway in this dream. His successor did not pursue the idea. There were others who proposed such a bridge, like Vladimir Gonzales who claimed he had the financing for such a venture. Japanese and European venture capitalists were cited as interested in the project. Then there was silence.

  Joseph’s brother, Governor Alfredo Marañon, revived the dream with a better chance of being fulfilled. His chairmanship of the Regional Development Council VI places him in a better position to pursue this idea. He had also expressed this idea some years back but somehow it was placed in the back burner.

Governor Marañon is embarking on two historic plans – the one island region concept and the Cross-Guimaras Bridge. The two ideas boggles the mind but they are achievable, considering the modern technologies and the “ripening” of the circumstances that make them no longer dreams but an attainable vision.

The one-island region proposal is said to be now in the hands of Malacanang where it awaits its fate. There are stumbling blocks but hope springs eternal.

The Cross Guimaras Bridge is expected to last for a longer time, from the decision to construct, to planning and financing, and then construction. However, the priority that Marañon’s stint as chairman of the RDC-6 is the important step. As it is said, a long journey begins with the first step.

 Unlike others, this project will be in the north. It will connect Panay and Negros through Tomontong Point in E.B. Magalona to San Juan Point in Banate, Iloilo. But whether this is the suitable site depends on geographic and hydrographic studies. This point had been used since Spanish times and, in fact, one of the entry points of immigrants from northern Panay, as Valladolid was for those in Antique and Iloilo. Later the entry point from Iloilo was Silay.

The plan is said to cost P53.66 billion but since it will take eight years, the cost could be higher. The cost, however, pales in comparison to the benefits that will be derived from this linkage. Moreover, the cost will be spread through eight years or about P6.7 billion a year. This makes the project less awesome than at first glance.

But will the one-island region proposal be affected? The bridge can remove one of the reasons for one region – 24/7 hour accessibility.*

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