Longest Sea Crossing Bridge in Northern Mindanao Takes Shape at 61%

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reports continued progress on the design and build of 3.17-kilometer Panguil Bay Bridge that will connect the City of Tangub in Misamis Occidental to the Municipality of Tubod in Lanao del Norte.

In his report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain said that the DPWH Unified Project Management Office – Roads Management Cluster 2 (UPMO-RMC2) (Multilateral) together with the project contractor Namkwang Engineering & Construction Corporation in Joint Venture with Kukdong Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. and Gumgwang Construction Co., Ltd. and consultant Yooshin Engineering Corporation in joint venture with Pyunghwa Engineering Consultants Ltd. and Kyong-Ho Engineering & Architects Co., Ltd. are exerting utmost effort as fast as possible to accelerate the vast pipeline of superstructure construction activities for the Panguil Bay Bridge Project which is at 61 percent to date.

The bridge costing ₱7.375 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, added Senior Undersecretary Sadain.

Secretary Bonoan said that the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos is not only ensuring continuity of major infrastructure projects started by the previous administration but also aims to fast-track completion to get Philippines back on the road to economic recovery from the pandemic.

Senior Undersecretary Sadain, who has overall supervision for all flagship projects being implemented by the Department under the continuing Build Better More Program, conducted construction site inspection on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at the Panguil Bay Bridge Project.

He was joined in the field inspection by Undersecretary Maximo L. Carvajal; Assistant Secretary Eric D. Ayapana; UPMO Project Directors Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim and Benjamin A. Bautista; Bureau of Construction Director Aristarco M. Doroy and Assistant Director Edgardo C. Garces; Director Randy R. Del Rosario; and Project Managers Teresita V. Bauzon, Francisco M. Sawali, and Marlon V. Galerio.

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

DPWH has been continuously improving and expanding the capacities of road network through building of inter-island bridges to meet the increasing demands of Philippine economy.

Bridging the geographical gap between Tubod and Tangub City/Ozamis City area, Panguil Bay Bridge will reduced travel time between Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Occidental from two (2) hours to just seven (7) minutes.

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.

Officially started on February 2020, the design and build of Panguil Bay Bridge has been pushed back attributed to restrictions of work at the height of pandemic and material/supply chain issues, additional design time and delays for the arrival and release of equipment from abroad.

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 approach road.

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