Bohol chamber to kick off "friendship bridge" study

CEBU, Philippines – The Bohol provincial government, in coordination with the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) will kick off a US$3 million feasibility study for the Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge before the end of this year.

Noris Oculam, former president of the BCCI said yesterday that the proposed Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge is underway since a foreign agency has already pledged to release funds for its feasibility study.

"We hope to start the pre-feasibility study by late this year or early next year, which will span for six months," Oculam said following the pronouncement of President Be-nigno Aquino III that the Cebu-Bohol Bridge proposal is "too ambitious".

According to Oculam the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of Korea has already committed about the US$3 million grant for the feasibility study.

"The Regional Development Council in Central Visayas has already asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to endorse to the Korean government their request for funding assistance for the feasibility study on the proposed bridge, the first between Cebu and Bohol," Oculam said.

The proposed bridge project will have to be endorsed by DPWH, the Neda Investment Coordination Committee technical board, Neda board and the foreign affairs secretary, he said.

The construction of the 90-kilometer bridge is expected to cost at least P20 billion.

Once materialized, Oculam said it will be a win-win situation for Cebu and Bohol in terms of commerce, technology sharing and the exchange of power and water between the two provinces.

"With the bridge, we can connect a pipeline to transport excess water from Bohol to Cebu as well as a fiber optic line from Cebu to Bohol to improve Bohol's telecommunica-tions infrastructure," he said.

In an interview yesterday on the Cebu-Bohol Bridge proposal Aquino said that although the project is possible, it is too ambitious for now.

On the other hand, Lucas Nunag, chairman of the provincial tourism council of Bohol also admitted it was a "grand dream", however he added, "It needs a serious look to capitalize both the water and power resources of both provinces. (FREEMAN)