Riding your motorcycle to Boracay from Caticlan could soon be possible via a bridge instead of a Roll-on Roll-off (RORO) ferry. Recently, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Ramon Ang, announced the company’s plan to build a bridge that would connect Caticlan to the popular island destination.
Estimated to cost Php 4.4 billion, Ang said that not only will it benefit tourists but it will also benefit the locals living in the island. In addition, it will also make transportation of goods and the removal of waste from Boracay easier too.
“Around 25,000 workers living in Boracay can live in the mainland. And 300 tons a day of solid waste can be moved to the other side for the landfill, and you don't need to install a deep well in Boracay,” said Ang. He also added that, with the bridge, freshwater can now be delivered to the island, negating the need for deep wells in the island resort. Ang estimated that the bridge can be completed in as little as 2 years.
When will the bridge project begin construction? Sadly there is no exact date yet as it is still a proposal. However, the Department of Tourism (DOT), along with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and local officials, will have a meeting in order to talk about SMC's proposal and viability.
“We will be actually consulting it with the local stakeholders, so we will listen to all. We’ve been hearing the side of Mr. Ramon Ang. He has valid opinion, [and] we will also listen to the other side,” said Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, DOT Secretary.
With a total distance of 1.8 kilometers between the Caticlan Jetty Port and Cagban Jetty Port in Boracay, the proposed bridge may have to span more than 2 kilometers in order to connect the two islands. However, the construction of the bridge might affect the livelihoods of those that make a living ferrying passengers to and from Boracay.
But should the weather not be favorable for boat travel, the bridge might be the only safe means of getting to and from the island resort.
Source: ABS-CBN News
