CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The long-awaited Panguil Bay Bridge is set to open this August, according to Regional Development Council (RDC)-10 chairperson and Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo.
“We are months away from the formal opening of the Panguil Bay Bridge, connecting the Municipality of Tubod in my home province of Lanao del Norte and the City of Tangub in Misamis Occidental. This landmark is a testament not only to the dedication of past local chief executives, but also to a committed generation of workers and public servants,” she said in her State of the Region Address (SORA).
The P7.352 billion project is a 3.7-kilometer, two-way, two-lane bridge constructed with South Korean financial assistance. Once operational, it will significantly reduce travel time between the two provinces, enhancing the region’s transportation system.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-10 Regional Director Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño said the Panguil Bay Bridge will be a game-changer, boosting economic growth in both provinces.
“Dili na difficult ang pagbyahe sa mga produkto og mga tawo (It is no longer difficult to travel products and people),” she said.
Cariño added that the bridge could reduce costs for agricultural products from Lanao del Norte and increase access to services and education in Tangub.
Lanao del Norte grows a lot of rice, corn, and coconuts and has a thriving fishing industry. Efficient transportation would make it easier to sell these products to other places. Tangub City, on the other hand, could benefit from improved access to some service-oriented companies and educational institutions, such as the Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology, which could attract students from Lanao del Norte.
The Panguil Bay Bridge is one of the major infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, aimed at strengthening regional connectivity and fostering economic development in Northern Mindanao. (ABR/PIA-10)
