DPWH’s Bonoan: More bridges to be built across Pasig, Marikina rivers

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is planning to build more bridges crossing the Pasig and Marikina rivers in a bid to decongest traffic in Metro Manila. 

“As far as the infrastructure is concerned, we will continue with the construction of more bridges across Marikina and Pasig rivers so that mobility will be enhanced from the north to south sectors because there are just a few bridges connecting the north and south sectors, although the department has already built a few more,” Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said during the Post-SONA Economic Briefing in Pasay City on Tuesday.

The previous administration built two bridges across Pasig River, namely the Estrella-Pantaleon and Binon-Intramuros bridges which were funded through a grant from the Chinese government.

Bonoan said the DPWH will be constructing “another five or six bridges across Pasig River.”

The Marcos administration is planning to spend about 5% to 6% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for infrastructure projects. 

For her part, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the government will be spending up to P2 trillion for infrastructure until 2028.

In his first SONA, Marcos said infrastructure developments are also necessary to improve other sectors such as agriculture, tourism, general economic activity and governance.

Apart from the bridges crossing Pasig and Marikina rivers, Bonoan mentioned the “expressway that will be developed in the eastern corridor of Metro Manila that will go through Pasig, Cainta, all the way to Bulacan, and this is already being implemented.”

San Miguel Corp., last year, broke ground on the 19.37-kilometer Pasig River Expressway project.

The P95-billion project is planned to connect the eastern and western parts of Metro Manila and will be connected to the Skyway system.

“We will continue to entice the private sector to continue with our public-private partnership (PPP) program in addressing all the necessary transport programs that are viable for the private sector,” Bonoan said. — RSJ, GMA News