The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported 61% completion of the 3.17-kilometer Panguil Bay Bridge that will connect the City of Tangub in Misamis Occidental to the Municipality of Tubod in Lanao del Norte.
In his report to DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain said that the DPWH Unified Project Management Office – Roads Management Cluster 2 (UPMO-RMC2) (Multilateral) together with the project contractor Namkwang Engineering & Construction Corporation in Joint Venture with Kukdong Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. and Gumgwang Construction Co., Ltd. and consultant Yooshin Engineering Corporation in joint venture with Pyunghwa Engineering Consultants Ltd. and Kyong-Ho Engineering & Architects Co., Ltd. are exerting utmost effort as fast as possible to accelerate the vast pipeline of superstructure construction activities for the Panguil Bay Bridge Project.
“The ₱7.375 billion-bridge represents a long dream come true of the people of Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Occidental.”
“The ₱7.375 billion-bridge, financed by a loan agreement between the Government of the Philippines and Korean Export Import Bank, not only represents a long dream come true of the people of Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Occidental but a milestone highlighting how the design and construction of a modern bridge with sea offshore excavation depth of up to more than 50 meters has evolved,” Sadain explained.
Bonoan said that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not only ensuring continuity of major infrastructure projects started by the previous administration but also aims to fast-track completion to get the Philippines back on the road to economic recovery from the pandemic.
Sadain, who has overall supervision for all flagship projects being implemented by the Department under the continuing Build Better More Program, conducted construction site inspection at the Panguil Bay Bridge Project.
He was joined in the field inspection by Undersecretary Maximo Carvajal, Assistant Secretary Eric Ayapana, UPMO Project Directors Sharif Madsmo Hasim and Benjamin Bautista, Bureau of Construction Director Aristarco Doroy and Assistant Director Edgardo Garces, Director Randy Del Rosario and Project Managers Teresita Bauzon, Francisco Sawali and Marlon Galerio.
The construction blitz started following the full completion of all the 54 bored piling works to allow the start of construction of the 36 abutment and pier column, 32 coping, and commence on both ends at Tubod and Tangub City the incremental launching method (ILM) for the superstructure.
DPWH has been continuously improving and expanding the capacities of the road network through building of inter-island bridges to meet the increasing demands of the Philippine economy.
Panguil Bay Bridge will reduce travel time between Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Occidental from two hours to just seven minutes.
Bridging the geographical gap between Tubod and Tangub City/Ozamis City area, Panguil Bay Bridge will reduce travel time between Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Occidental from two hours to just seven minutes.
The construction has 336 manpower working round-the-clock to complete the project by December 2023.
The operation, however, was affected during this last quarter of 2022 by a climate in the project area that is often rainy with strong currents of Panguil Bay.
Officially started in February 2020, the design and build of Panguil Bay Bridge has been pushed back attributed to restrictions of work at the height of pandemic and material/supply chain issues, additional design time and delays for the arrival and release of equipment from abroad.
