The Marcos administration expects to boost the economic activity in Luzon and the entire country with the planned construction of an iconic P175-billion cable-stayed bridge that will connect the provinces of Cavite and Bataan.

In a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the construction of the Cavite-Bataan bridge will create better and more direct access between the northern and southern part of Metro Manila, Luzon’s two growth areas, which will significantly improve the region’s economic development.

“So, with this bridge, I think, you will have better access, a more direct access between these two growth areas and significantly it will actually improve the economic development not only in Luzon but for the entire country,” Bonoan explained.

“Malaki iyong benefits that have been derived. And no less than the Asian Development Bank has indicated that the economic rate of return of this bridge is more than 25 percent and that’s big, that’s really big,” the DPWH chief pointed out.

The construction of the major infrastructure will also cut the travel time from Manila to Bataan from three hours to less than an hour, Bonoan said, adding that the government expects to finish it in five years, or within the President Marcos’ term of office.

The 32-kilometer, four-lane Cavite-Bataan bridge that will be built across Manila Bay, will be composed of two big bridges: one measuring 400 meters and the other 900 meters.

“And this will be cable-stayed bridge – if you have seen cable-stayed bridges. And the detail engineering is now ongoing, it’s about 70 percent complete,” Bonoan told reporters.

“We told the President that it will be ready within the year actually to break ground the implementation of this very significant bridge,” the DPWH chief said.

Bonoan earlier presented to the President Tuesday that 1,500 kilometers of road and some 161 bridges were built and improved by the DPWH from July to December last year. (PND)