Panguil Bay Bridge is now 61% completed: DPWH

by Shaine Mae R. Nagtalon

The construction of the 3.17-kilometer sea crossing bridge in Northern Mindanao is now 61 percent complete, an official from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Thursday, December 8.

In his report to DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain said the construction of the multi-billion bridge project is ongoing and that contractors are exerting efforts to accelerate the process. He said contractors are working on speeding up the vast pipeline of superstructure construction activities for the Panguil Bay Bridge Project.

The longest sea-crossing bridge in Northern Mindanao will connect the City of Tangub in Misamis Occidental to the Municipality of Tubod in Lanao del Norte.

“The bridge costing P7.375 billion, 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 said in a statement.

The project, which began in February 2020, is part of DPWH’s continuing Build Better More Program. Its construction was pushed back due to restrictions of work at the height of the pandemic.

The DPWH said the construction started following the full completion of all the 54 bored piling works to allow the start of construction of the 36 abutments and pier columns, 32 coping, and commence on both ends at Tubod and Tangub City the incremental launching method (ILM) for the superstructure.

While construction by about 336 manpower takes place round-the-clock to complete the project by December 2023, the bridge construction 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.

The DPWH said the Panguil Bay Bridge Project has a main bridge (extra-dosed type) with a length of 320 meters, 1,920 meters approach bridge made of pre-stressed concrete girder, and an approach road.

Once completed, the Panguil Bay Bridge is expected to reduce the travel time between Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Occidental from two hours to just seven minutes. (DPWH/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)