Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Roger Mercado announced that construction of three new bridges crossing Marikina River will commence by the second semester of 2022.
Mercado, citing a report from Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil Sadain, said that procurement of civil works contractor for the three bridges under Metro Manila Bridges Project (MMBP) is set to be done in the first half of 2022.
According to Sadain, President Rodrigo Duterte’s designated Chief Implementer of the Build Build Build Program, the UPMO Bridges Management Cluster headed by Project Director Rodrigo Delos Reyes has been instructed to coordinate with DPWH Procurement Service to ensure the proper and timely conduct of early procurement activities this 2022 for the bridges under MMBP totaling 3,023.60 meters over the Marikina River, including the Marcos Highway – St. Mary Avenue Bridge, Homeowner’s Drive – A. Bonifacio Bridge and Kabayani Street – Matandang Balara Bridge.
“We are pushing for the immediate review/checking and approval of the bidding documents to accelerate the procurement activity timelines.”
“Given the upcoming May 2022 national election and with the ban on procurement activities coinciding with the 45-day campaign period between March 25 and May 8, 2022, we are pushing for the immediate review/checking and approval of the bidding documents to accelerate the procurement activity timelines,” he explained.
The draft bidding documents were prepared by DPWH UPMO Bridges Management Cluster in partnership with the detailed engineering design consultant Dasan Consultant Co., Ltd. in joint venture with Dongsung Engineering Co., Ltd. And Kunhwa Engineering & Consulting Co., Ltd. in association with DCCD Engineering Corporation.
A loan agreement amounting ₱8.8 Billion between the Government of the Philippines and the Asian Development Bank was earlier signed on December 16, 2021 that will ensure sufficient funding for the construction of the additional bridges which will provide alternate routes to decongest traffic, enhance transportation capacity of the Marikina River crossings, and accelerate the economic development of Marikina City and Quezon City.
The proposed bridges across Marikina River together with the new bridges completed last third quarter of 2021 crossing Pasig River namely the locally-funded Kalayaan Bridge of the Bonifacio Global City-Ortigas Center Link Road Project and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge funded by China grant, and Binondo-Intramuros Bridge to be completed in 2022 also financed by the grant aid program of China are included in the government’s flagship infrastructure projects under the Metro Manila Logistics Network Program.
“With six months remaining in his term, Duterte delivered his legacy of infrastructure development.”
Sadain said that with six months remaining in his term, Duterte delivered his legacy of infrastructure development and has set up the foundation with a robust pipeline of projects that the Filipino people will greatly benefit from its continuity by the next administration and beyond.
The proposed 2-lane pre-stressed box girder Marcos Highway – St. Mary Avenue Bridge (previously named as J.P. Rizal St.-St. Mary Bridge) has total length of 1,606.30 meters and estimated project cost of ₱1.690 Billion while the 691 meters Homeowner’s Drive – A. Bonifacio Bridge (previously named as J.P. Rizal St.-Lopez Jaena Bridge) has a cost estimate of ₱2.097 Billion.
On the other hand, the planned 726.30 meters 4-lane pre-stressed concrete extradosed-type Kabayani Street – Matandang Balara Bridge (previously named as Marikina-Vista Real Bridge) is estimated to cost ₱2.641. Billion.
