ILOILO City — Civil works for the long-awaited Panay–Guimaras segment of the Panay–Guimaras–Negros (PGN) Island Bridges Project are targeted to begin this year, with the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) now “substantially completed,” government officials announced.
The update was disclosed after the Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the PGN Bridge Project convened on Feb. 10 at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 6 in Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City to assess the project’s status and key implementation concerns.
The DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) reported significant progress toward project readiness, confirming that the DED — a crucial requirement before actual construction — is nearing completion.
The DED is being prepared by Yooshin Engineering Corporation in joint venture with South Korean firms Kyong-Ho Engineering and Architects Co. Ltd., Dohwa Engineering Co. Ltd., Soosung Engineering Co. Ltd., and Dasan Consultants Co. Ltd.
Aside from engineering preparations, the committee tackled environmental safeguards, land use, right-of-way issues, and other critical matters necessary for the project’s implementation.
In a statement, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Region 6 said: “Civil works are targeted to commence this year. Once completed, the project will significantly improve mobility, reduce travel time and logistics costs, and strengthen regional integration and economic growth in Western Visayas, Negros Island, and the neighboring regions.”
To support the massive undertaking, the DPWH Central Office allotted P443.5 million in the 2026 national budget as government counterpart funding for the bridge’s construction.
Budget documents show that P193.34 million is allocated for overall project requirements, P171.23 million for Section A (Panay–Guimaras), and P78.94 million for Section B (Guimaras–Negros).
Once completed, the PGN Link Bridge will physically connect Panay, Guimaras, and Negros Islands through two major sections: a 13-kilometer Panay–Guimaras segment with a 4.97-kilometer sea-crossing bridge, and a 19.47-kilometer Guimaras–Negros segment featuring a 13.11-kilometer span.
Travel time between the islands — currently taking up to four hours via sea transport — is expected to drop to less than one hour, dramatically boosting trade, tourism, and mobility across Western Visayas.
The PGN Link Bridge is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects outside Luzon and remains a flagship undertaking under the Philippine National Development Strategy./PN
