Filipinos who would be beneficiaries of huge and ambitious government infrastructure projects such as the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB) and the Cebu Bus Rail Transit (BRT) are concerned that these projects would be delayed because of several reasons, the most significant of which is higher costs.
It was announced by Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) that the Bataan-Cavite Bridge and the Cebu Bus Rail Transit will face delays and increased cost for construction.
The construction cost for the 32-kilometer BCIB project has been revised to P219.3 billion, a significant increase from the initial estimate of P175.6 billion.
The BCIB is a four-lane bridge that will directly link Cavite and Bataan, reducing travel time between the two provinces from over five hours to just 45 minutes.
Once completed, it will also improve connectivity between the provinces, enabling faster movement of goods and services. The project is expected to be the second longest over-water bridge in the world next to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
“We also expect this to decongest traffic in Metro Manila since travelers going to and from either Bataan or Cavite who would typically pass through Manila could pass through the BCIB instead,” Balisaca said.
Secretary Balisacan also said the expected completion date of the bridge project, which crosses Manila Bay from barangay Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan to Barangay Timalan, Naic, Cavite, has been postponed beyond December, 2029.
It was also disclosed that the changes have been approved to accommodate an updated detailed engineering design that utilizes superior construction materials and a stronger bridge structure. Additionally, the cost was adjusted to account for inflation.
Meanwhile, Arsi Balisacan said the construction cost for the Cebu BRT has risen by P12 billion, bringing the total estimate to P28.78 billion from the initial projection of P16.3 billion. The NEDA chief said this adjustment accounts for the inclusion of mixed traffic sections and the need for additional stations and terminals in the BRT project.
We are confident that in time, the Marcos administration will be able to complete these two legacy projects although unexpected delays in the near future may further move their dates of completion.
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