Proposed Bridge, Rail Systems to Connect Four Visayas Provinces

A proposed public-private partnership (PPP) will connect by bridges with a rail component four provinces in the Visayas, an official said.

Adelino Sitoy, Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs and concurrent head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO), said they have been proposing a PPP project for the construction of bridges connecting Negros Oriental to Cebu, Cordova town in Cebu to Getafe town in Bohol and Carlos P. Garcia town in Bohol to Maasin City in Southern Leyte.

Sitoy said their proposed bridges will have a railway component where the bridges will connect.

“The railroad will bring a lot of benefits because travel will be faster,” he said.

Sitoy said there will be a lot of passengers that can avail of this and transport of products will be cheaper.

He said this will boost tourism and economy in the Visayas since several islands will be connected.

Sitoy said they have already told President Rodrigo Duterte about the proposed project.

”He has approved this project in principle but asked us to refer this to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade,” Sitoy said.

Sitoy was elected as vice mayor of Cordova town, but he quit after he was appointed by President Duterte to his Malacañang positions.

Sitoy said they are still under negotiations with interested investors and contractors who wish to undertake the project, but he said he cannot disclose them yet. (PNA)LAP/EB/EDS