DAGUPAN CITY – The construction of a P1.8-billion bridge that will cross the Calmay River here is under way after almost 90 years.
REP. Christopher de Venecia and former Rep. Gina de Venecia grace the groundbreaking ceremony of the Calmay Bridge in Dagupan City.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Dec. 20 in Barangay Calmay led by Pangasinan fourth district Rep. Christopher de Venecia who worked for the project’s funding.
The event was also attended by Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez, former Pangasinan Rep. Gina de Venecia, and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways Engr. Dexter Cavaneyro, Assistant Division Chief, Planning and Design Division, Regional Office 1, and District Engineer Edita Manuel.
Rep. de Venecia thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez for continuing to support projects that benefit the people here.
The bridge will connect downtown Dagupan to Barangay Calmay, Binmaley, and southern Lingayen, Pangasinan and will benefit thousands of people.
Rep. de Venecia is optimistic that the bridge with the official name Pangasinan-Zambales Road to Judge Jose de Venecia Boulevard Extension Road (Dagupan City Section-Bridge Component-Calmay Bridge) will increase commercial activities in island-barangays Calmay and Carael and contribute to the overall economic growth of Dagupan City.
Mrs. de Venecia thanked her son, Christopher, for fulfilling another dream project of his father and her husband, former House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
“The construction of this bridge is historic because it will replace the Franklin Bridge that used to connect the island-barangay of Calmay to Poblacion Oeste and the Dagupan downtown area, which was washed out by a big flood in 1935," she said.