The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has begun preparations for sub-structure works of the 3.169 km Panguil Bay Bridge Project.
DPWH Secretary Mark A Villar said: “Soon to be the longest bridge in the Philippines at 3.169km, we are excited to see the realisation to make Filipinos even more connected through a megabridge that will spur interisland travel in Northern Mindanao.
“Although restriction on the movement of people and goods because of the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the bridge construction, the contractor can now go full blast with the delivery of equipment and materials to be used for its foundation works.”
Set for completion in 2023, Panguil Bay Bridge will go way beyond the 2.16km San Juanico Bridge connecting the provinces of Samar and Leyte in the Eastern Visayas Region.
In his report to Secretary Villar, Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil K Sadain said: “Major bridge equipment by Korean joint venture contractor Namkwang-Kukdong-Gumwang have reached project site aboard vessels from South Korea and Brunei.”
On 25 March 2021, Undersecretary Sadain, DPWH officials, UPMO Roads Management Cluster 2 Project Director Sharif Madsmo H Hasim and Project Manager Teresita V Bauzon inspected the construction equipment for the bridge foundation that had arrived at Silanga Port, Tangub City, in the province of Misamis Occidental.
The major bridge equipment that arrived include tugboats, revolving cranes, barges, vibro pile hammer, reverse circulation drilling (RCD) machines, and steel casings.
Major land-based equipment to arrive include concrete batch plant, excavators, motor graders, dump trucks, payloaders, and vibratory rollers, which are currently on site in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental and the municipality of Tubod in the province of Lanao Del Norte.
The total investment for this major infrastructure development in Northern Mindanao to connect Tangub City and Tubod in just seven minutes is amounting to over $152m (PHP7.375bn).
Out of the total expenditure, over $44m (PHP2.168bn) will be financed by GOP, while the remaining amount of over $107m (PHP5.207bn) will be provided under a loan agreement between Korean Export-Import Bank (Korea Eximbank) and GOP.
Despite suspension of most activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the extensive detailed engineering design of Panguil Bay Bridge was completed in December 2020.