By Vincent P. Grecia
Ilonggo leaders were happy with the mention of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) bridge project in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24, 2023.
The 32-kilometer PGN is one of the priority infrastructure projects of the Marcos administration under his Build Better More (BBM) program.
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) earlier deported that the PhP 189.5 PGN bridge project may start construction in 2025.
Currently, the project’s Detailed Engineering Design (DED) is in the works.
The PGN bridge project, conceptualized during the time of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, covers an entire route of 32.47 kilometers, composed of two sections: Section A (13 km Panay-Guimaras) and Section B (19.47 km Guimaras-Negros).
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said the PGN bridge project is an important project that will create impact on the lives of the people in Western Visayas.
Treñas also cited Pres. Marcos directive to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to finish the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) interconnection.
He noted that through the construction of the PGN Bridge, ease of transportation, dynamic movement of goods and services, and enhanced economic and tourism activities will be assured, while the CNP interconnection will provide the city a stable energy source, transmission and distribution.
“Iloilo City, being the regional hub of Western Visayas, stands to benefit from these high impact projects. We are looking forward to their realization, as we also hope for the implementation of other projects of the national government, namely, the Iloilo Airport expansion, the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project, and the improvement of international port,” the mayor added.
Meanwhile, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., who personally attended the SONA, said that the PGN bridge project once realized will be a “game changer” in the economic development of the Western Visayas region.
Defensor was also happy that the President gave emphasis on the national government’s Farm to Market Road (FMR) projects, in which Iloilo will most likely benefit being an agricultural province.
“Ang Farm to Market roads, nalipay man kita sina bilang isa ka agricultural province, kay damo pa kita sang dalan nga dapat himu-on para makabulig sa aton mga mangunguma… Damo ang mga ginhambal sang presidente nga align sa programa sang probinsya, so nalipay kita,” Gov. Defensor said.
Defensor noted that the proposed Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway (ICAEX) project which was mentioned in Pres. Marcos’s first SONA will complement the PGN bridge project.
Although, it was not mentioned in his second SONA, Gov. Defensor believed that it is already in the pipeline of the BBM program.
Meanwhile, Ilonggo legislators like Representatives Julienne Baronda (Iloilo City), Michael Gorriceta (Second District of Iloilo), Lorenz Defensor (Third District) and Raul Tupas (Fifth District) also lauded the SONA of the President, noting that it was delivered in a clear manner, straightforward and extensive.
During the SONA, President Marcos Jr. appealed to Congress for its support for different priority legislations, namely the Essential Tax Measures under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (Excise tax on single-use plastics, VAT on digital services, Rationalization of mining fiscal regime, Motor vehicle user’s charge/road user’s tax, Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension); Amendment of the Fisheries Code; Amendment of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act; Amendment of the Cooperative Code; New Government Procurement Law; New Government Auditing Code; Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming; Tatak-Pinoy Law; The Blue Economy Law; Ease of Paying Taxes; LGU Income Classification; and The Philippine Immigration Act. (with reports from PIA-6)
