LANAO DEL NORTE (PIA) — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) will inaugurate the Panguil Bay Bridge, connecting Tubod in Lanao del Norte and Tangub City in Misamis Occidental.
This 3.17-kilometer sea-crossing bridge is the longest in Mindanao, reducing travel time between Tubod and Tangub from over two hours to just seven minutes.
Key officials, including Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan and Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-Hwa, will join Marcos during the inauguration. Speaker of the House of Representatives Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Korea Export-Import Bank (KEXIM Bank) Director General Cho In-Kyo, Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda Q. Dimaporo, Misamis Occidental Governor Henry S. Oaminal, DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, and other officials will also be present during the inauguration ceremony.
The DPWH Unified Project Management Office—Roads Management Cluster II implemented the Panguil Bay Bridge Project at a cost of P8.026 billion. The Philippine government and the KEXIM Bank-Economic Development Cooperation Fund signed a loan agreement in 2016 to secure the funding.
The project began with a pre-feasibility study in 1998, followed by several assessments to secure approval from the National Economic and Development Authority in May 2015. After careful planning and adjustments, the project reached the procurement phase in 2018, with contracts signed in November 2019.
The previous administration began construction of the bridge on February 28, 2020, but the pandemic and budget issues caused delays. Despite these challenges, the PBBM administration’s commitment to rapid infrastructure development through the Build Better More program ensured that the project proceeded with minimal interruptions.
During a media briefing, Presidential Communications Office-Media Accreditation and Relations Office Assistant Secretary Dale De Vera emphasized the ongoing commitment to infrastructure development under the “Build Better More” program, noting that such projects are long-term efforts that transcend administrations.
Using advanced technology
The Panguil Bay Bridge project used advanced Korean bridge technology, such as reverse circulation drilling on barges to create boreholes and permanent steel casings with revolving crane barges and vibro pile hammers. Two land- and sea-based batching plants provided ready-mixed concrete for construction.
A total of 54 board piles and 32 piers support the bridge, enabling it to accommodate two lanes of traffic with a width of 13 meters. It has a 360-meter approach road and a 1,020-meter approach bridge on the Tangub City side, as well as a 569-meter approach road and a 900-meter approach bridge on the Tubod side, all of which were constructed using pre-stressed concrete box girders.
The bridge is designed to accommodate heavy traffic safely with a 320-meter central span supported by two 20-meter tall pylons and six cable stays, as well as a modern lighting system. It features a solid foundation to ensure stability and durability.
Excitement from local residents
Residents are excited about the bridge’s opening, and one of them is Abing Damasco, a vendor who sells fruits and owns a sari-sari store along the national highway near the bridge entrance. She expressed her excitement for the changes it will bring to their daily lives and businesses.
She said the opening of the bridge will make it much easier for her to get mangoes or other products from other municipalities in Misamis Occidental or Zamboanga Peninsula. She mentioned that traveling via Roll-On, Roll-Off (RoRo) vessels from Mukas, Kolambugan to Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, takes a lot of time due to long queues. However, the new bridge will make getting goods from other municipalities easier for her.
“Dugay jud ta muabot didto. Langan pa jud sa oras, dugay. Malangan mag pila-pila. Madugay pud ta. Gasto pud. Whereas kung maopen na ang tulay, duol nalang mi. Karon excited na mi nga mag-opening na ang bridge,” she said.
(We really take a long time to get there. It takes a while, and we often have to wait in long lines. It also costs a lot. However, once the bridge opens, it will be much closer to our location. Now we are excited for the bridge to open.)
She also anticipates that the increased traffic will benefit her business, as more passersby will likely boost her sales.
Similarly, Richard Pacasa from Misamis Occidental, a transport assistant in a hog-raising business, said the new bridge will make their operations more efficient by enabling faster and smoother trips without delays. He is also excited about the benefits this new route will bring to his work as they transport hogs throughout Mindanao. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
