MANILA, Philippines — The Asian Development Bank is extending a $175 million loan to the Philippine government to fund the construction of three new bridges over Marikina River meant to ease traffic in Metro Manila.
These new bridges, which will be constructed under the ADB’s Metro Manila Bridges Project, were designed to have climate-and-disaster-resilient features. They will traverse 3,024 meters of cities that line the Marikina River, connecting it to Metro Manila’s major roads.
“The project is ADB’s first focused on bridge construction in the Philippines and will help in the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by creating jobs, improving the living conditions of residents near the river, and providing them with better access to the rest of Metro Manila,” said ADB Transport Specialist for Southeast Asia Chaorin Shim.
In a statement, the ADB said these new bridges will connect motorists to Marcos Highway–St. Mary Avenue Bridge, Homeowner’s Drive–A. Bonifacio Bridge, and Kabayani Street–Matandang Balara Bridge, aiding the public works department’s efforts to manage and operate roads and bridges nationwide.
The bridges set to be constructed met international safety standards for access to all pedestrians–including children, elderly, women, and most especially persons with disabilities.
The Marikina River, the largest tributary of the polluted Pasig River, almost always make the headlines during monsoon season, where flooding becomes commonplace, forcing nearby residents to evacuate.
So far, the ADB has invested into big-ticket infrastructure projects in the country which include the Malolos Clark Railway project, EDSA Greenways project, and the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project.