MANILA -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has formed an alliance with the local government units (LGU) and other stakeholders in the implementation of national government’s flagship infrastructure project in Northern Mindanao.
DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, Chief Implementer of Flagship Projects under Build Build Build Program, reported to Secretary Roger G. Mercado the formal holding of 1st Multi-Partite Monitoring Team - Sectoral Committee Meeting for the Panguil Bay Bridge Project which seeks to ensure the proper coordination, successful integration, and effective implementation of the mega bridge project connecting Tubod, Lanao Del Norte and Tangub City, Misamis Occidental.
Organized by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Roads Management Cluster 2 (Multilateral) upon instruction of Undersecretary Sadain - overall in-charge of UPMO Operations, the meeting held February 17, 2022 was hosted by Lanao Del Norte Provincial Governor Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo in Tubod and participated by Congressman Abdullah D. Dimaporo, Ms. Aminah Dimaporo representing Congressman Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo, UPMO RMC 2 Project Director Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim, and representatives of other concerned agencies like Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, other civic/people’s organization, and LGUs of Misamis Occidental.
According to Undersecretary Sadain, the group will serve as an ad-hoc body which will institutionalize participatory and transparent monitoring on report of project progress during project construction stage to ensure its quality and timely completion by December 2023.
It was agreed during the meeting that the group will be formally organized to serve as an infrastructure monitoring and advisory body that will conduct regular forums to guarantee stakeholders’ greater involvement, support and cooperation.
Civil works contract for the bridge was awarded in February 2020, a month before the country was placed under series of stay-at-home orders and cordon sanitaire measures due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite challenges because of the public health emergency, DPWH and its contractor Namkwang-Kukdong-Gumgwang Joint Venture stepped up the construction of bored piles foundation with about 44 out of the total 54 already completed to date.
Funded by a loan agreement between the Government of the Philippine and Korean Export Import Bank, Panguil Bay Bridge is expected to uplift the economy and encourage growth of tourism in Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental.
The bridge will reduce travel time through Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) vessels from Ozamiz City/Tangub City to Mukas Port/Tubod of 2.5 hours including the long queing of vehicles on port to just 7 minutes. (DPWH)
