• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Western Visayas Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) has approved the top three priority projects of the region, including the Bacolod Coastal Road Project, for presentation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The coastal road project, from Brgy. Banago to Brgy. Punta Taytay, aims to decongest traffic in the highly-urbanized city, and is among the 10 priorities identified for funding by the Regional Development Council 6, chaired by Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez, during the RDC6’s first full council meeting held outside the Philippines, which was in Macau, China, in December 2023.
The two other priority infra projects that RAC approved during its meeting April 17 at the House of Representatives, are DSWD’s regional warehouses for disaster response in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental and Pototan in Iloilo; and the construction of a cruise ship port at the Port of Alegria in Buruanga, Aklan, the National Economic and Development Authority in Western Visayas reported.
Both were also among the 10 priority projects identified during the RDC Macau meeting.
“These (are the) top three PAPs (priority projects and programs) of Western Visayas for presentation to the President with the aim of having these included in the FY 2025 budget proposals of agency central offices and National Expenditure Program,” the NEDA6 said.
Benitez, who presided over the RAC meeting, thanked the attendees and acknowledged the successful convening of the advisory council. He commended the dedication of the legislators, highlighting their commitment not only to the progress of their individual districts but also to the overall development of Region VI.
Juvelyn Pamonag of NEDA6, also the regional technical coordinator for Infrastructure Development Committee, meanwhile, presented the major ongoing infrastructure projects in Western Visayas.
These include the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Inter-Island Link Bridge, the Boracay Circumferential Road, Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage II, Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway, and the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project, among others.
The construction of the 32.47-kilometer, two sea-crossing PGN bridges, including connecting roads and interchanges, will link Panay Island to Guimaras Island, and Guimaras Island to Negros Island, the Department of Public Works and Highways said.
It targets “safer, faster, and more convenient transportation among islands by being connected, with passengers and vehicles able to pass all-weather,” the DPWH said, adding the PGN will reduce the travel time of commuters and motorists, and the transport of goods from Panay to Negros Island through ferries/RORO, to just about one hour, from the current two to three hours.
The PGN, with total project cost of P187.53 billion, including engineering service and contingencies, has two sections; the 13-km Section A, from Leganes, Iloilo to Buenavista in Guimaras, is worth P57.7 billion and expected to be operational in 2028, DPWH6 director Sonny Boy Oropel told reporters on the sidelines of Marcos’ visit to Bacolod April 8.
Section B, from San Lorenzo, Guimaras to Pulupandan in Negros Occidental, stretches 19.47 kilometers and has a project cost of P109.79 billion. | CGC
