Panay-Guimaras-Negros links: Marañon still hopeful about bridges

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines – The ambitious dream of building bridges to connect the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros can still come true if funds are available in the future, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said.

"The bridges are still a dream but let us not stop dreaming, it may come true. We lack money now, but in the future once our economy grow and prosper, through efficient ways of collecting taxes, we can pursue that project," he said.

The Philippine News Agency reported that Engr. Danilo Peroy, chief of the Planning and Design Division of the DPWH-Western Visayas, said the feasibility study on the bridges "gathered dust" on his desk as he expressed doubts that the project will ever take off due to lack of funds.

Peroy said that according to the study, the Iloilo City-Guimaras bridge, a span of 2.59 kilometers, will cost P14.173 billion, while the longer bridge connecting Guimaras and Negros in 20.6 kilometers, will cost P39.8 billion.

All in all, the amount would be P53.973 billion, more than 100 percent increase from the previous estimate of P25 billion, he said.