The joint venture group of three major Korean construction firms is all set to begin the design and construction of the Panquil Bay Bridge Project of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Joint venture contractor Namkwang-Kukdong-Gumgwang represented by its CEO and president Geun Young Kim personally expressed to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar during a kick-off meeting held recently at the DPWH Central Office their readiness to start activities with the mobilization of personnel and equipment for the detailed engineering, design, and construction.
“Building a mega bridge will provide convenient inter-island travel in the archipelagic topography of Northern Mindanao.”
In his remarks, Villar said this flagship infrastructure project under the supervision of DPWH Unified Project Management Office – Roads Management Cluster 2 (Multilateral) is a realization of the President Rodrigo R. Duterte administration’s promise to make Filipinos even more connected, by building a mega bridge that will provide convenient inter-island travel in the archipelagic topography of Northern Mindanao.
Other officials present at the meeting included DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain, project director Sharif Madsmo Hasim, project manager Teresita Bauzon, regional director Zenaida Tan, Bureau of Construction director Eric Ayapana, Bureau of Design OIC director Aristarco Doroy, Bureau of Quality and Safety director Medmier Malig, Planning Service director Constante Llanes, Finance Service OIC-director Genevieve Cuaresma Jeong Hwan Kim, Keun Yung Kim, Soo Young Park, and Hyum Tae Kang, and other technical staff from DPWH and Nam Kwang Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., Gumgwang Construction Co., Ltd., and Kukdong Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.
Sadain, in-charge of DPWH UPMO Operations and Technical Services, said the P6.4 billion Panguil Bay Bridge Project is a 3.77-kilometer two-lane bridge which will connect Tangub City in Misamis Occidental and Tubod town in Lanao del Norte and will dramatically reduce travel time between these two points from the present two-and-a-half hours to only 10 minutes.
Issues relating to the project were discussed during the kick-off meeting, including the implementation timelines toward the realization of the completion target.