The much-awaited Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) bridges project will proceed as planned, a top official of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) in Western Visayas confirmed Oct. 6.
DEPDev6 regional director Arecio Casing Jr. said the Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office will go ahead with their activities.
“There are no reports that the Korean government has withdrawn its support. I believe the reports given by some sectors in society are related to a different project, and I think it is a project that did not even materialize,” he said in a media interview.
He was referring to a report last month on the suspension of an infrastructure loan from the Korean government for projects under the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) amid alleged anomalous flood control projects.
Casing said that since the projects did not materialize, DAR looked for a different Official Development Assistance (ODA) source.
He said it is the Department of Finance that is in charge of the loan availability for the PGN project.
The project was initially pegged at P300 billion. The first segment (Panay-Guimaras) is set to begin in July 2026.
The Panay-Guimaras segment has a total length of 13.616 kilometers, while Guimaras to Negros (Section B) stretches 19.47 kilometers.
The project, Casing said, is similar to the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project – a 30-kilometer bridge with two spans and passing through Corregidor Island – which has already solicited bids from international contractors.
“In a sense, we are hopeful that the PGN bridge will follow soon,” Casing said. | PNA
