President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is expected to lead the opening of Panguil Bay Bridge, the longest water-spanning bridge in Mindanao, on Friday, September 27, 2024.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said in a letter to the governor of Lanao del Norte that the President will grace the inauguration ceremony scheduled at 8 a.m.

It can be recalled that Marcos announced during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) that Panguil Bay Bridge is one of the two major bridges expected to be opened to motorists before the end of 2024.

Marcos said this is under the government’s inter-island linkage bridge program.

The 3.169-kilometer bridge links the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental.

“This opening fulfills a long-held dream of the people of both Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental provinces, providing the people with a permanent solution to connectivity challenges and stimulating economic activities, particularly by enhancing access to markets, trade, and tourism,” Lanao del Norte provincial government said.

The Provincial Government of Misamis Occidental said the bridge will reduce travel time and enhance trade across Northern Mindanao.

DPWH said earlier that once the bridge is finished, travel time will be reduced to seven minutes from the current one hour and a half to two hours and a half travel time via Roll-on, Roll off (RoRo) or via land travel with around 100 kilometers.

The national government has allocated P7.3 billion for the project through a loan agreement between the governments of the Philippines and South Korea.