DPWH: Resettlement plan in place for families to be displaced by Bataan-Cavite bridge project

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has a resettlement plan for families that will be affected by the construction of the 32-kilometer Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, an official said Saturday.
 
On the sidelines of the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DPWH Project Manager Teresita Bauzon said the agency estimated that at least 149 families would be affected by the project.

“About 49 from Bataan and about 100 in Naic,” Bauzon said.

The P175-billion, four-lane inter-island bridge will connect Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan, and Barangay Timalan Concepcion in Naic, Cavite. 
 
Bauzon said the DPWH was also coordinating with the National Housing Authority (NHA) for the relocation of affected families.
 
“They (NHA) are going to provide a lot in Bataan as well as in Cavite para sa relocation ng maapektuhang kababayan natin,” she said.

"Lahat ng madi-displace will be paid… lahat ng affected lands, structures, households, lahat po ‘yan ay babayaran accordingly.”

She said livelihood subsidies are also being finalized for farmers and fishermen who will be affected by the project.

“We will be starting to pay off those affected persons this year,” she said.

During the forum, Bauzon said that the construction of the Bataan-Cavite bridge is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2024 and is targeted to be completed by 2028.

The bridge will have two navigational bridges, the 400-meter North Channel Bridge and the 900-meter South Channel Bridge, that are expected to traverse Corregidor Island. About 80% of the structure will be over the sea.
 
The bridge is seen to cut travel time between Bataan and Cavite to 30-45 minutes from a five-hour trip, decongest traffic in Metro Manila, help reduce prices of goods and services as transport and logistics costs would be decreased, and create economic opportunities in Bataan and Cavite as well as their adjacent provinces.  —VBL, GMA Integrated News