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Elijah Felice Rosales - The Philippine Star
June 2, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will decide in July the fate of the P7.95-billion proposal to build a bridge in Boracay that locals are opposing.
The DPWH is working with the provincial government of Aklan in securing the needed approval for the development of the Boracay Bridge Project pitched by San Miguel Corp. (SMC).
Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the project has to be authorized first by local leaders before the DPWH opens it up for comparative proposals.
“I think we are in the process of finalizing with the local government. Actually, the plan of SMC to build a Boracay bridge was already given initial approval,” Bonoan said.
“However, before we subject it to a Swiss challenge, we want to find out first whether the project is endorsed by local government units. Our program is that after the election, we have to finalize the arrangement with the LGUs,” he added.
Bonoan said the DPWH would firm up the next steps for the project by July to give SMC enough time to address the issues raised by stakeholders.
Business group Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) rejects SMC’s plan to build the Boracay Bridge, saying the project would disrupt marine biodiversity and worsen coastal erosion.
Moreover, BFI scored SMC for allegedly failing to improve the Caticlan Airport, the gateway to Boracay, which the company operates and maintains through Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp.
BFI wants SMC to prioritize its resources and time in enhancing the Caticlan Airport. The group hopes the airport would be upgraded in such a way that it would attract flights from foreign carriers.
For SMC, building the Boracay Bridge between Boracay Island and Caticlan would improve the flow of trade and travel in the island. Based on the initial design, the Boracay Bridge will extend for 2.54 kilometers, of which 1.14 kilometers is a limited-access segment.
