The tourism industry in the southern part of Negros Island is seen to thrive after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently constructed a bridge that now facilitates a more convenient access to the pristine beaches of Sipalay City, Negros Occidental. 

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said that the construction of the 75-lineal meter bridge in the city’s Barangay Nauhang will allow local and foreign tourists to directly reach the tourism areas of Sugar and Langub beach resorts by land travel instead of renting and boarding a motorboat.

Citing reports from DPWH-6 Director Lea N. Delfinado and Negros Occidental 3rd District Engineer Rodney A. Gustilo, Villar further explained that the new bridge, which connects the sitios of Barangay Nauhang naturally separated by a water way leading to the ocean, is actually part of the P46.55-million project that constructed a 225-lineal meter access road leading to the tourist sites in the area.

To ensure safety of motorists and the traveling public, the completed project also included the provision of gabions and grouted riprap, application of reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings, and installation of chevron road signs and guardrails.

Aside from providing support to the thriving tourism industry with the opening of small businesses catering to the increasing number of travelers, the improvement in accessibility in Barangay Nauhang complements the agricultural and marine industry by enabling the faster delivery of products to large markets in city centers.

The bridge project is part of the convergence program of DPWH and the Department of Tourism funded by the FY 2020 General Appropriations Act./WDJ