Gando: Panay-Guimaras bridge to ‘speed up everything’
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The Panay-Guimaras bridge, a segment of the P189.53-billion Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges Project, would provide ease to every Guimarasnon, particularly on transportation, according to Vice Governor John Edward Gando.
“It will speed up everything, and we are hopeful that this will be realized,” said Gando, adding that the economy would improve as the province becomes more accessible to tourists and investors.
The province, he added, has become more progressive as a result of the efforts of local leaders led by Governor JC Rahman Nava and Rep. Lucille Nava, as well as the mayors of Jordan, Sibunag, San Lorenzo, Nueva Valencia, and Buenavista. (https://bit.ly/421DARU)
“Guimaras is recovering and progressing,” Gando said, “We can see that in the efforts of our leaders… the lives of our residents are improving.”
The National Economic and Development Authority in Western Visayas said a construction phase would only proceed once the detailed engineering design (DED) of the bridge is completed on schedule and approved for funding and implementation by the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) and the NEDA Board.
The project’s implementing agency, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), began the bidding process for the DED in February and the Notice to Proceed in May 2023.
DED preparation will last 18 months, beginning in January of this year.
The proposal, which includes the DED, feasibility study, and other documents, will be presented to the ICC and NEDA Board for review and approval once it has been finalized.
In a May 11 press release, the DPWH Central Office said it “targets to commence the DED activities for the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges by June 2023.”
