Contracts for three priority bridges worth $240-M signed by PH, China
By Hanah Tabios
The commercial contracts for the implementation of the three priority bridges crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway have been recently signed to improve the road network and increase the transportation capacity in Metro Manila.

The Three Priority Bridges Project with the amount of around $240 million is a government-to-government (G2G) cooperation project between China and the Philippines with the utilization of Chinese financing facilities.
The on-going projects on the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge over the Pasig River are also key components of the Twelve Priority Bridges Project.
According to the Embassy of China, the first bridge of the Three Priority Bridges Project is the North and South Harbor Bridge in the port area of Manila. It was designed to be a two-way four-lane bridge with the main bridge’s length of 300 meters and a total length of 799 meters, which is set to be completed in around three years. The bridge will be able to accommodate more than 5,800 vehicles per day once operational.
The second bridge is the Eastbank-Westbank Bridge connecting Pasig City and Cainta City over the Manggahan Floodway. The two-way four-lane bridge will be 933 long in total with a 258-meter main bridge. It will carry more than 18,000 vehicles per day after a three-year construction.
The third bridge is the Palanca-Villegas Bridge crossing over the Pasig River in Manila, a two-way two-lane bridge with the main bridge’s length of 100 meters and a total length of 225 meters. After a construction period of 26 months, the bridge is expected to carry over 2,900 vehicles per day.
Both sides are now working on the loan agreement negotiation of the Three Priority Bridges Project. The construction of the three bridges is expected to kick off in the first half of 2021.