LA CARLOTA CITY- Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed his support yesterday for the move to connect Negros and Panay islands through a bridge, but not for the creation of a one island Negros region yet.

Marcos, whose father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, had constructed the San Juanico Bridge, linked Leyte and Samar in the 1970s, said that the building of a bridge between Negros and Panay will boost the economy of the two islands.

Hopefully, it will have the same effect as in Leyte and Samar, Marcos said, although the proposed bridge is still being discussed, and there and no plans yet for it.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon, chairman of the Regional Development Council of Western Visayas, said there is need now for a feasibility study ,so it will be ready when funds become available for it in the future.

Marcos, Senate chairperson on Infrastructure, said that while it is still in the planning stage and being discussed, it is just a question of getting it organized, funded and starting the planning process.”

Asked if it is possible, Marcos, who met with barangay officials of the 4th district at the ancestral home of the late Ambassador Roberto Salas Benedicto in Brgy. RSB, La Carlota City, said “Everything is possible. Let us see how quickly they plans it”.

The proposed bridge is planned to be constructed in the coastal area of the 4th district, passing Guimaras, to Iloilo.

Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer said that while he supports the construction of the Negros Panay bridge, there is need to give priority to other projects.

“This is a US$5 billion loan. It will take time and we need to study it first”, Ferrer, who, with his wife, Mayor Juliet Ferrer, served as hosts to Marcos in La Carlota City, said.

Marcos, however, is not inclined to give his support to the creation of aNegros Island Region, and said it will just be an additional cost to the government.

“For me, I don’t think that is necessary”, Marcos, who is also the chairperson of the Senate committee on local government, said.

While Negros Occidental belongs to Region 6 and Negros Oriental to Region 7, it does not mean you need to have a new region, Marcos said.

But he added that he will talk about it with Maranon, who has been pushing for it.

Ferrer, on the other hand, expressed support to the creation of Negros Island Region.

Marcos, who also met with Maranon, is slated to visit the cities of Sagay and Bacolod today and on Oct. 18, to discuss his initiatives to improve local governance and map out a national infrastructure development plan, gather inputs from local government executives, civil society and other groups on how best to “harmonize” Negros Occidental’s public works priorities with his envisioned plan.*GPB

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