RP's tallest bridge to open in Southern Leyte

MANILA, Philippines - If the province of Leyte boasts of the country’s longest bridge, the 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge, its neighboring province of Southern Leyte will soon have the honor of having the tallest bridge, the Agas-Agas, with a height of 85 meters.

Public Works and Highways Undersecretary for the Visayas Rafael Yabut said work on the Agas-Agas Bridge is seven percent ahead of schedule.

Yabut said Japanese contractor Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. reported that the bridge is now 91 percent complete, with work expected to wrap up in August.

The bridge, which spans 300 meters, is part of the Daang Maharlika Highway. Its construction is among President Arroyo’s priority projects.

“We increased the height of the bridge to make it safe and comfortable for the motorists. Instead of chopping off a portion of the mountain, which would have been necessary to construct the bridge, we just elevated it to avoid the mountainous sections that are prone to landslides and road slips during heavy rains,” Yabut said.

To help boost the tourism in the area, Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. has ordered the construction of a viewing deck in the bridge’s mid-portion so motorists could take a view of the surrounding mountainous areas and forests.

“This (viewdeck) will be a first of its kind, and it can also be used in the future for bungee jumping,” Yabut said.

He said there will also be comfort rooms and sheds constructed on both sides of the bridge where weary motorists can relax and rest.