By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) President Frank Carbon, who also serves as operator of inter-island ferry company Weesam Express, recently voiced his opposition to the Negros-Guimaras-Panay bridge, scheduled to be constructed next year, calling it a “burden [to] the next generation.”
He doubts the project would provide a return on investment, noting there should be studies done in consideration of the economic benefit and if it would be enough to offset the loans taken out to pay for the project.
Instead of a bridge, Carbon believes the government should invest in new roads and irrigation in the mountainous areas of Negros Occidental.
He also endorsed the New Bacolod Economic Highway, a 21-kilometer road that will stretch across Barangays Sum-ag, Cabug, Felisa, Handumanan, Mansilingan, Estefania, Granada, Mandalagan, and Bata.
In a radio interview with Bombo Radyo-Bacolod over the weekend, Carbon said the project would boost the growth of Bacolod City as the lands the road traverses would increase in property values.
He also said the project would reduce traffic in the city and, once completed, vehicles would have a new route aside from the main thoroughfares of Lacson, Gatuslao, and Araneta Streets.
Earlier, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is prioritizing construction of the bridge, pointing out a feasibility study is currently being conducted by his department.
Once complete, Villar said the bridge will surpass the San Juanico Bridge as the longest bridge in the Philippines./WDJ