PHP 9-B loan greenlights construction of new Marikina River bridges

ADB Supports DPWH Construction of 3 Marikina Bridges

As part of the overall Metro Manila Logistics Network with a total of 12 bridges being eyed over Pasig River, Marikina River, and the Manggahan Floodway, the Philippine Government gets a USD 175-million loan (roughly PHP 9-billion) from the Asia Development Bank ADB to assist in the construction of three new bridges which is aimed at improving the efficiency of road travel crossing Marikina River.

The Department of Public Works and Highways  (DPWH), through Secretary, Roger  Mercado, has announced that ADB will co-finance the construction of the three new bridges to help solve the increasingly severe traffic problem in Metro Manila.

“A loan agreement with ADB is an exciting assurance of the construction of three new climate and disaster-resilient bridges as well as added training program to strengthen DPWH institutional capacity in bridge operation and maintenance”, said Mercado.

The ceremonial exchange of the financing agreements between ADB and the Department of Finance (DOF) representing the Government of the Republic of the Philippines for the DPWH Metro Manila Bridges Project was held on yesterday, March 30, 2022.

Receiving the loan documents on behalf of the Philippine Government is Finance Secretary, Carlos Dominguez while receiving on behalf of the Asian Development Bank is Managing Director General, Woochung Um.

The exchange of documents was witnessed by Public works Secretary Mercado; DOF Undersecretary, Maria Edita Tan; ADB Philippine Country Office Director, Kelly Bird; and ADB Deputy Director-General, Winfried Wicklein.

These bridges are the Marcos Highway-Saint Mary Bridge (Formerly J.P. Rizal-St. Mary Bridge) with a total length of 1,582.6 meters, including the main bridge length of 325 meters; Homeowners Drive-A. Bonifacio Ave. Bridge (Formerly J.P. Rizal-Lopez Jaena Bridge) with a total length of 691 meters including the main bridge length of 461.5 meters; and Kabayani-Matandang Balara Bridge (Formerly Marikina-Vista Real Bridge) with a total length of 723.2 meters, including the main bridge length of 364 meters.  

To achieve seamless travel and connectivity, three of these bridges in the Metro Manila Logistics Improvement plan were completed with one due for opening on April 5, 2022, two (2) are in the procurement stage, and three are under financing negotiation. Completed across Pasig River are the Bonifacio Global City – Ortigas Center Link Road Project that involves the construction of a 4-lane Sta Monica to Lawton Bridge or Kalayaan Bridge, Estrella - Pantaleon Bridge, and Binondo - Intramuros Bridge.

Secretary Mercado expressed confidence that the construction of the new bridges in Marikina City will be effectively and expeditiously implemented by the team of Undersecretary Sadain in the UPMO Operations.

According to Undersecretary Sadain, ADB is involved in other flagship infrastructure projects of DPWH such as the technical and financial assistance for the ongoing detailed engineering design of the Bataan – Cavite Interlink Bridge and Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, and the ongoing civil works construction of Improving Growth Network – Mindanao Sector Improvement Project.

“These ADB-assisted big-ticket projects will ensure the sustainability of infrastructure development under Build, Build, Build Program, even beyond the term of President Rodrigo Duterte,” said Sadain.