The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) headed by Secretary Florante Soriquez is currently building at least three bridges a week around the Philippines. It uses state of the art steel bridges from Mabey and Johnson Ltd., the UK-based world leader in modular steel bridge technology.
The programs employ over 500 Filipinos nationwide and now countries like Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka have engaged top Filipino engineers to assist these countries in replicating the phenomenal bridge construction rate of Arroyo Administration’s President’s Bridge Programs.
Engineer Quiel Maala, 40, a native of Batangas and six years with the PBP, spent many months in Papua New Guinea inspecting bridge sites, helping with survey and training local engineers in the techniques of modular bridge erection in some of the most difficult terrains in the world. Filipino know-how and ingenuity has helped make the PNG bridge program a success story.
Galen Palma, 35, of Zamboanga, visited bridge sites in war torn areas in the north of Sri Lanka together with engineer Badar Lakibul, 27, of Sulu. They trained local design engineers in survey and computer aided design (CAD) systems through their expertise gained from designing and building Mabey and Johnson modular steel bridges for over six years with the PBP.
During their stay, structural engineer Mohnur Mohammad, 43, native of Tawi-tawi, provided technical assistance on structural analysis and calculations via electronic mail.
The President’s Bridge Programs have developed home grown experts with outstanding export potential — these world-class Filipinos continue to give inspiration overseas in lines of engineering, information technology and computer-generated design.