China-granted Binondo-Intramuros bridge expected to open within this year
2021-02-05 16:56

On the morning of Feb. 4th, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and Secretary Villar of DPWH visited the China-granted Binondo-Intramuros (B-I) Bridge Project and extended the Chinese New Year wishes to all the Chinese and Filipino engineers and workers on site. The B-I Bridge Project, a flagship project under President Duterte’s “Build, build, build” program, will build a two-way four-lane bridge over the Pasig River to connect the Binondo and Intramuros. The main bridge of the project is so far 90% completed and is expected to open within this year. By then, it will serve over 30,000 vehicles per day and substantially relieve the traffic congestion along the river. Meanwhile, the attractive arch design of the bridge will become a new iconic landscape in the region.

Ambassador Huang pointed out that the B-I Bridge Project was one of the first China-granted infrastructure projects in Metro Manila constructed under President Duterte’s administration. Another China-granted Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge (E-P Bridge) linking Makati and Mandaluyong is now 79% done and on track for an opening date in the first half of 2021. And the Three Priority Bridges Project which is funded by China just concluded the commercial contracts last December and is expected to kick off by June this year. All the five bridges mentioned above are important components of the Twelve Priority Bridges Under the Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project of DPWH which aims to improve the road network and increase the transportation capacity in Metro Manila.

Ambassador Huang said that the China-Philippines government to government cooperation projects are entering into a new stage of implementation in 2021. With the joint efforts of both sides, 11 projects have been completed and 12 projects are being implemented or are about to be implemented. Among them, B-I Bridge and E-P Bridge Projects, the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology-Technical Cooperation Program Phase III, and the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project are expected to be completed by the end of this year. There are also 10 more projects under active negotiation. Ambassador Huang restated China’s willingness to further deepen the synergies of the “Belt and Road” initiative and the “Build, Build, Build” program and push forward the cooperation projects according to the needs of the Philippines to help the Philippines’ economic recovery.

Secretary Villar said he was pleased to see that the B-I Bridge Project was pushing ahead smoothly and would open within this year. He thanked for the grant and the advanced bridge-construction technologies China offered generously to help the Philippines improve the infrastructure. He pointed out that with the completion of this bridge, the traffic condition in the region would substantially improve and the local people would enjoy more benefits from China-Philippines friendly cooperation.

Ambassador Huang and Secretary Villar sent out the Chinese New Year gifts and best wishes to the Chinese and Filipino workers on site.

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