MikeLigalig.com

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol - The proposed construction of the 90-kilometer Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge is “on track,” with a foreign agency pledging to release funds for its feasibility study, an official said.

Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado announced yesterday that the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of Korea has pledged about $3 million as a grant for the feasibility study.

For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter

“I am happy to report to the RDC that one of our mega-projects, the Bohol-Cebu Multi-Access Friendship Bridge, now has the support of EDCF,” Aumentado told the Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 during their full council meeting here.

Request for funding

The RDC in Central Visayas asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to endorse to the Korean government their request for funding assistance for the feasibility study on the proposed bridge, the first between Cebu and Bohol.

Aumentado said he will meet with the Korean ambassador on July 28 to “thresh out the mechanics of the project.”

Garcia congratulated Aumentado for the development.

In an interview with reporters, Aumentado confirmed endorsements from various agencies are required for the funding to be released.

The proposed bridge project will have to be endorsed by DPWH, the Neda Investment Coordination Committee technical board, Neda board and the foreign affairs secretary.

Aumentado said it is the foreign affairs secretary who will then endorse the request for funding to the Korean government.

The Bohol governor believes the bridge project will improve commerce, technology sharing and the exchange of power and water between Bohol and Cebu.

Conceived in 2006

Aumentado said the project was conceptualized in 2006 yet. But due to the lack of funds, the feasibility study was not started.

The 90-kilometer bridge’s construction is expected to cost at least P20 billion.

“Funding for the actual project implementation is not a problem.

We can have it through BOT (build-operate-transfer) or a loan. But I prefer it done through a BOT,” Aumentado said.

Once the bridge is up, Aumentado said it will be easier to bring water from Bohol to Cebu, in contrast to earlier proposals to use submarine pipes.

Bohol, in turn, can also take advantage of the bridge to tap Cebu’s excess power, he said.

The operation of the Kepco and Global Power plants in 2011 is expected to generate an additional 200 megawatts for Cebu.

‘Follow the process’

Aumentado said that when he attended the recent Asean South Korea summit with President Arroyo, a Korean embassy official informed him that his government was “willing to give due course” to the request for $3 million for a feasibility study on the proposed bridge, “provided that we follow the process.”

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 25, 2009.



Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=21298.0