San Miguel Corp. pushing for Boracay-Caticlan bridge; may cost over P4.4-B
MANILA - San Miguel Corp. is pushing for the construction of a bridge that would connect Caticlan to popular beach destination Boracay, its president and COO Ramon Ang said Friday.
The project will cost more than P4.4 billion and benefit locals as well as visitors. It is also seen to help in the solid waste management at the prime tourist destination as transport would be easier.
Currently, travel between Caticlan and Boracay is by boat.
“(Around) 25,000 workers living in Boracay Island can live in the mainland. And 300 tons a day of solid waste can be moved to the other side para sa landfill, at 'di ka na kailangan mag-deepwell sa Boracay,” Ang said.
(Around 25,000 workers living in Boracay Island can live in the mainland. And 300 tons a day of solid waste can be moved to the other side for the landfill, and you don't need to install a deepwell in Boracay.)
"Puwede ka na magdala ng freshwater galing sa mainland so ma-aavoid mo na 'yung deepwell sa Boracay."
(You can bring freshwater from the mainland so you don't need deepwells in Boracay.)
The project, however, yet has no clear signs of approval since the Department of Tourism still has to sit down with partner agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and local officials.
“We will be actually consulting it naman with the local stakeholders, so we will listen to all. We’ve been hearing the side of Mr. Ramon Ang. He has valid opinion, [and] we will also listen to the other side,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
Ang earlier said they could build the bridge in a span of 2 years.
San Miguel unit TransAire Development Holdings Corp. had renovated the Caticlan Airport, which was opened to jet aircraft for the first time in 2016.
