The 3.17 kilometer Panguil Bay Bridge Project in Northern Mindanao is now at 69 percent with work on the structure in full-gear, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Wednesday, May 10.

The bridge has a project cost of P7.37 billion.

DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, in-charge of DPWH infrastructure flagship projects under the “Build, Better, More” program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the inter-island bridge project is target to attain 90 percent completion by December and will open to vehicular traffic by June 2024.

“By reducing travel time to seven minutes,  the two to 2.5 hours land travel between Tangub City, Misamis Occidental and Tubod, Lanao Del Norte, the bridge is expected to bring many benefits to the local economy and conveniences for businesses and the general public in Northern Mindanao,’’ the DPWH noted.

“We are particularly excited about the upcoming completion of the Panguil Bay Bridge Project, which we believe marks a significant milestone for the whole Mindanao,’’ Sadain added.

The DPWH explained that the “valuable infrastructure project will greatly enhance economic growth as it will serve as a vital gateway that connects and further strengthens the region's infrastructure, providing seamless transportation of goods and services.’’

Although the design and build activities for the Panguil Bay Bridge Project were slowed down by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the DPWH bared that “this remarkable infrastructure project has started to recover in 2022 and early 2023 anchored on the catch-up plan and construction improvement measures.’’

Sadain stated that the ‘construction blitz’ began after the full completion of all the 54 bored piling works to allow the start of construction of the 36 abutment and pier column, 32 coping, and commence on both ends at Tubod and Tangub City the incremental launching method (ILM) for the superstructure.

Funded by a loan agreement between the government of the Philippines and the government of South Korea through its Economic Development Cooperation Fund, the construction work is under joint venture contractor Namkwang-Kukdong-Gumwang with Yooshin Eng’g Corp. in JV with Pyunghwa Eng’g & KyongHo Eng’g & Architects as project consultant.

Sadain stressed that the bridge project itself is impressive in its own right as the main and approach bridges will feature cast-in-place pile foundations and will be built using free-cantilever and incremental launching methods respectively.

The main bridge will be 320-meter long with parallel high strength HDPE-coated multi-strands stay cable, while the length of the two approach bridge sections and approach roads will be 1.38-kilometer and 1.47-kilometer, respectively.

Sadain inspected work on the project last May 9 with DPWH Unified Project Management Office-Roads Management Cluster 2 (UPMO-RMC 2) Project Director Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim; Stakeholders Relations Service Director Randy R. Del Rosario; Project Managers Teresita V. Bauzon and Marlon V. Galerio; and District Engineer Maria B. David.