By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson maintains a positive outlook on the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Bridge project despite a setback in the bidding process.

Lacson expressed confidence that the project will continue, citing the ongoing bidding for the Panay-Guimaras Bridge as a promising sign.

The setback involved the failure of bidding for the project’s detailed engineering design (DED), as reported by Engineer Arecio Casing Jr., director of the National Economic and Development Authority in Western Visayas.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to rebid the DED due to the bid price, surpassing the allocated loan proceeds and the DPWH’s original contract estimate.

Undeterred by the delay, Lacson remains optimistic that the construction of the P189.53 billion PGN Bridge project will commence in 2025.

All necessary local endorsements from provincial, municipal and city councils in the affected areas have been obtained for the project.

The comprehensive project spans a total route of 32.47 kilometers, which is divided into two sections: the 13-kilometer Panay-Guimaras Bridge (Section A) and the 19.47-kilometer Guimaras-Negros Bridge (Section B)./DGB, WDJ