The 3.17-kilometer Panguil Bay Bridge Project is nearing the next phase of both approaches from Tangub City, Misamis Occidental and Tubod, Lanao del Norte meeting in the extra-dosed type center main bridge. As per report based on the latest inspection by DPWH senior officials led by Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain, the two (2)-lane inter-island bridge project across Panguil Bay is already more than 73 percent completed.
Accordingly, over 400 workers are currently deployed on-site working round the clock 24/7 with the project target to achieve 86 percent toward end of this year 2023 and full completion by first half of year 2024.
Costing ₱7.37 Billion, the bridge project made of pre-stressed concrete girders and an approach road is funded by a loan agreement between Government of the Philippines (GOP) and Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank).
The project aims to have a seven (7)-minute inter-island connectivity with Tubod, Lanao del Norte and Tangub, Misamis Occidental as opposed to the present connectivity between Ozamiz City/ Tangub City and Tubod through Roll-On, Roll-Off (RoRo) vessel which has a travel time of about two (2) hours to two and a half (2.5) hours including loading and unloading time.
On the otherhand, the current land travel traffic over a distance of 100 kilometers is at two (2) hours to 2.5 hours.
Started on February 2020, the project is under the joint venture group of contractors composed of Namkwang Engineering & Construction Corp together with Gumgwang Construction Co., Ltd and Kukdong Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. The project engineering consultants are Yooshin Engineering Corporation, Kyong-Ho Engineering & Architects Co., Ltd, and Pyunghwa Engineering Consultants Ltd.
with text and photos by DPWH
