The planned P175 billion cable-stayed bridge connecting the provinces of Cavite and Bataan is expected to boost economic activity in Luzon and the entire country, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said, Tuesday, March 14.

Bonoan said the construction of the Cavite-Bataan bridge will provide better and more direct access between the northern and southern parts of Metro Manila, Luzon's two growth areas, significantly improving the region's economic development.

“So, with this bridge, I think, you will have better access, a more direct access between these two growth areas and significantly it will actually improve the economic development not only in Luzon but for the entire country,” he said during a Malacañang press briefing.

“Malaki iyong benefits that have been derived (The benefits that have been derived are great). And no less than the Asian Development Bank has indicated that the economic rate of return of this bridge is more than 25 percent and that’s big, that’s really big,” he continued.

According to the DPWH chief, the building of the significant infrastructure will also reduce the three-hour travel time between Manila and Bataan to less than an hour.

In addition, Bonoan said that the government anticipates finishing the project in five years, or during the presidency of President Marcos.

He said that the 32-kilometer, four-lane Cavite-Bataan bridge, which will span Manila Bay, will be made up of two large bridges with lengths of 400 and 900 meters, respectively.

“And this will be [a] cable-stayed bridge – if you have seen cable-stayed bridges. And the detail engineering is now ongoing, it’s about 70 percent complete,” said the DPWH chief.

“We told the President that it will be ready within the year actually to break ground the implementation of this very significant bridge.”

From July to December last year, the DPWH built and improved 1,500 kilometers of road and 161 bridges, Bonoan reported to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos.