The Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways received a single bid for a bridge to a 10.32 square kilometre resort island that sees 2.3 million tourists a year.
The bidder, San Miguel Holdings, proposed the US$135 million public-private partnership (PPP) project for a bridge between the northwest coast of Panay and the resort island of Boracay. The brief includes financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a 2.5km bridge system, including a 1.1km limited-access bridge.
The structure is intended to give all-weather access between the two islands by public transport and will feature lanes for cyclists and pedestrians. The bridge will also carry utilities, including water and sewerage to address issues with waste management on Boracay. The island, which is famed for its beaches, was closed to tourists in April 2018 after the then-president described it as a ‘cesspool’. It was reopened later that year with infrastructure work ongoing.
