Boracay Bridge project continues to pend

The proposed link between the main island of Panay to the world famous resort island of Boracay is even now being studied by public works officials.

The P5.5-billion Boracay bridge project advanced by diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) pends at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) due to the continuing opposition of the Aklan provincial government and its people.

“The project is still pending because it still has to comply with many requirements, including the locals’ environmental concerns that need to be addressed,” Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar recently told reporters.

He explained the DPWH is prioritizing the review and approval of pending projects that were first submitted to them.

“This does not mean we are not prioritizing the Boracay Bridge proposal because we just want to make sure that all the issues (raised against) the project are all be addressed,” Villar said.

At the moment, the DPWH acknowledges not following any timetable as to when the project is approved.

“We don’t have a timetable for this project. We will just continue to vet it. It will depend on the locals when the proposal is acceptable to them. We need to talk to all the stakeholders,” Villar reiterated.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said the 1.2-kilometer bridge project linking the resort island to the main province of Aklan will be beneficial to both locals and tourists.

In a previous interview, Ang dubbed the project as “the most important component to save Boracay.”

Ang said the project was not meant to boost tourism in the province as much as it was envisioned to decongest the island resort.

Should the project is approved, Ang would bring 25,000 workers to Boracay who will be housed in nearby Caticlan to avoid crowding the island further.

The project should also address water and sewage issues in the island resort through connecting pipes at the bridge that would remove sewage and provide fresh water to Boracay even as trucks easily move solid waste off the island.

But Ang still has to secure original proponent status from the DPWH before the project can proceed for review at the National Economic and Development Authority.