PGN Bridge cost climbs to PHP 331 billion

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The estimated cost of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Island Bridges Project has increased to PHP 331.59 billion, primarily because of changes in the bridge design, foundation requirements and structural specifications, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Engr. Antonio Erwin Aranaz, project manager of the inter-island bridge project, said Section A is now estimated to cost PHP 108 billion, while Section B is projected at PHP 267 billion.

While DPWH’s data, as presented by Aranaz, pegged the increased project cost to PHP 331.59 billion, the individual increased costs of Section A and B total PHP 375 billion.

The increase based on the presented lump sum is around PHP 107 billion, but using the sum of the sections, the increase would amount to around PHP 151 billion.

“What we submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority is PHP331 billion, so it increased. In Section A, the cost before was PHP57 billion under the feasibility study; now it is PHP108 billion. Then in Section B, it used to be PHP167 billion, and now it’s PHP267 billion,” he said during Infrastructure Forum 2026 in Iloilo City.

Section A will connect Leganes, Iloilo, to Buenavista, Guimaras, while Section B will link San Lorenzo, Guimaras, to Pulupandan, Negros Occidental.

Aranaz said the increase was largely driven by changes to the foundation design of the 33-kilometer inter-island bridge.

He explained that the feasibility study initially estimated foundation piles at about 70 meters deep, but the final engineering design requires piles reaching as deep as 150 meters and a greater number of piles to support the bridge’s weight.

“Before, the design of the bridge was prestressed concrete girders, but now we have advanced steel girders, which are lighter compared to the old design,” he added.

The construction cost is separate from the PHP 3.18 billion spent on the detailed engineering design for both bridge sections, which was completed in July 2026 and is now undergoing final government approval before civil works begin.

Civil works set for 2027

Aranaz confirmed that construction of the PGN Bridge is scheduled to begin in 2027.

“The construction will start in 2027. In one and a half years, we will already have construction. After 4 years, it is the completion of Section A. And after five years [we can finish] Section B,” he said.

Based on the DPWH project timeline, construction of Section A is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027, while Section B is expected to start in the first quarter of 2028, allowing both sections to be built simultaneously.

The entire inter-island bridge system is targeted for completion by the middle of 2033.

Section A, spanning 13.6 kilometers, will consist of a 4.84-kilometer sea-crossing bridge and 8.76 kilometers of approach roads.

The section will feature two interchanges, one in Leganes and another in Buenavista.

Its centerpiece will be a 1.4-kilometer cable-stayed bridge with a diamond-shaped tower design.

An advanced steel girder system will be used for the Panay-side approach bridge to reduce structural weight because of weak soil conditions.

“The area is very deep. We excavated about 100 meters to 150 meters. We haven’t been able to get a hard rock,” Aranaz said.

A viewing deck is also planned for Section A, although its final location—either on the Leganes or Guimaras side—has yet to be determined.

Section B, spanning 19.47 kilometers, will consist of a 13.19-kilometer sea-crossing bridge and 6.28 kilometers of approach roads.

The section will include three interchanges, one in San Lorenzo, Guimaras, and two connecting to the road network in Pulupandan and the Negros South Road in Bago City.

Like Section A, its main span will feature a 1.4-kilometer cable-stayed bridge, while the approach bridges will use prestressed concrete box girders.

Aranaz said soil conditions along the Guimaras Strait are more favorable than those in the Iloilo Strait, with hard rock encountered at depths of about 80–90 meters.

Travel time seen to drop

The DPWH said the project is expected to significantly reduce travel time among Panay, Guimaras and Negros.

Travel between Panay and Guimaras, which currently takes about 30–40 minutes by ferry, including waiting time, could be reduced to around 10 minutes once the bridge becomes operational.

The current three- to four-hour journey between Panay and Negros by ferry and roll-on/roll-off vessels could be shortened to about 40 minutes by road.

Travel between Guimaras and Negros is likewise expected to take about 15 minutes through the bridge and the Guimaras Circumferential Road.

“The PGN is a game-changer for Western Visayas. It catalyzes economic growth and regional cooperation. It promotes sustainable development and social progress and strengthens environmental resilience through better connectivity,” Aranaz emphasized.

Under the DPWH’s 2026 budget, PHP 443.5 million has been allocated as the national government’s counterpart funding for the PGN Bridge project.

The project is classified as a foreign-assisted infrastructure undertaking, with the bulk of its financing expected to come from concessional loans under South Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund, administered by the Export-Import Bank of Korea.

Budget records show the 2026 allocation includes PHP 193.34 million for the overall project, PHP 171.23 million for Section A and PHP 78.94 million for Section B.

Once completed, the PGN Bridge is expected to become one of the country’s longest inter-island bridge systems, strengthening connectivity among Panay, Guimaras and Negros while supporting trade, tourism, logistics and regional economic integration in Western Visayas.