COVID-19 lockdowns, budgetary constraints, and rising costs of construction materials had apparently slowed down the completion of the four-lane P396-million Magsaysay Bridge, aptly called “the longest bridge in Central Luzon” due to the long delay that attended its construction.
A new 72.5-meter multi-span bridge that will connect the vibrant Subic Bay Freeport to the main artery of Olongapo City is set to replace the old Magsaysay Bride that had been extensively used during the time of the US Navy at the Subic Naval Base.
The 60s era Magsaysay Bridge was closed to traffic in 2009 due to deterioration. The bridge had served to heavy vehicular and foot traffic during the time of the Americans at the Subic Naval Base.
Speaking to members of the Central Luzon Media Association Pampanga on February 22, 2024, at the Niji Restaurant in Angeles City, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Deputy Administrator Atty. John Aquino said the contractor has assured SBMA Administrator Eduardo Alino during a recent inspection of the Magsaysay Bridge that its construction will be completed by the end of April 2024.
Aquino has described the much-vaunted Magsaysay Bridge as “The Longest Bridge in Central Luzon” due to the long delay in its construction.
Atty. Aquino said construction of the vital bridge which started in September 2019, was derailed by the COVID-19 lockdowns and the high cost of materials during and after the pandemic.
“Right now, the main concern of SBMA is to finish the construction of the ‘longest bridge in Central Luzon.’ It (construction) started in 2019 and its already 2024, that is why we call it the longest bridge. Until now, it has not been finished yet and the bridge is not even one kilometer,” said Atty. Aquino.
“During the last inspection conducted by SBMA Administrator Eduardo Alino, he was assured by the contractor that by the end of April 2024, the bridge will be finally be completed,” said Atty. Aquino.
Construction of the bridge was affected by the lockdowns and strict protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Atty. Aquino. “Inabutan po siya ng pandemic, the lockdowns and the strict protocols that we went through during the pandemic period, medyo na hamper talaga yung construction. On the part of the contractor, they were affected by the inflation of construction materials after the pandemic. Supplies are so scarce during and right after the pandemic.”
The Magsaysay Bridge project, was then expected to be finished by the first quarter of 2021 until unforeseen events had delayed its completion. Some P396,582,528 million had been earmarked in the bridge project.
The bridge is seen to further improve access and mobility, revitalize businesses, and provide livelihood opportunities in both Subic Bay Freeport and Olongapo City.
MANUFACTURING FIRMS PREFERRED
Meanwhile, Atty. Aquino said SBMA wanted the entry of more manufacturing firms inside the Subic Freeport Zone because these will generate more employment opportunities,
“Of course, if you are to target certain industries gusto namin manufacturing. We want our manufacturing industry to grow. Why? It provides more employment opportunities for our stakeholders who are residents of Bataan, Olongapo, and Zambales,” said Atty. Aquino.
Atty. Aquino said manufacturing firms in China, Taiwan and Korea are eyeing to locate in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone due to the presence of inter-modal logistics and the modern connectivity.
“Luckily, during our roadshows that we joined abroad a lot of those who showed interests are into manufacturing and a lot of our visitors also who come from eithers China and or Taiwan and Korea are interested in putting up manufacturing centers or undertake expansion projects in the Subic Bay Freeport.”
The Subic Freeport, currently has 1,816 foreign and local investors with a total workforce of 156,811. “As of December 2023, the actual number of locators that we have is 1,816,” said Atty. Aquino.
“Our revenue (2023) jumped over by 100 million compared to 2022,” said Atty. Aquino.
SINGLE AIRPORT DEVELOPER NEEDED
Currently, the Subic International Airport is not generating the much needed revenues for SBMA, according to Atty. Aquino.
Only a handful of flying schools are using the facility, which had been extensively utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic to accommodate “Bayanihan Flights” that saw the repatriation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from the Middle East and elsewhere.
Atty. Aquino said the SBMA needed a single developer who will modernize the Subic International Airport and reconnect it to commercial airline operators to bring in warm bodies into the Subic Freeport Zone as part of its program to improve tourism.
“We’re running it but to be honest, it (Subic airport) is underutilized and we are not producing revenues. In terms of passenger traffic it is not used for that purpose,” said Atty. Aquino.
He revealed that SBMA is currently in talks with a foreign company and they will “try to see if they have something better to put on the table.”
“We will find someone who will develop the whole facility. Para isa lang ang kausap namin.”
SUBIC-CLARK RAILWAY
Meanwhile, the much anticipated construction of the Subic-Clark Commuter Railway that will connect the deep-sea port of Subic Bay Freeport Zone and the international airport of the Clark Freeport Zone is a welcome development, according to Atty. Aquino.
But Atty. Aquino said the Subic-Clark railway will have its central hub at the Tipo area only.
The proposed railway will not be allowed to enter all the way into the Subic Freeport because precious investments will be affected by its alignment. He cited the golf course and manufacturing firms involved in machinery parts and robotic industry that may be affected by the railway alignment.
“In so far as the Subic-Clark railway is concerned, we were informed that the project is still a go but the railway will only be up to the Tipo area.”
Atty. Aquino said the proponents of the railway project “acceded to our request” that it will only run up to the Tipo Central Hub.
DELINQUENT LOCATORS
Atty. Aquino said the SBMA had already terminated contracts with some of delinquent locators and now offering these areas to potential local and foreign investors.
Atty. Aquino said that during the time of (former) Administator Tan, SBMA has made an effort to purge the lease of locators who are not complying with their development commitment. “We exerted efforts through a process to recover all these facilities and offer them to other investors interested in Subic.”
Several properties had been recovered and (we) continue to market them to potential investors, said Atty. Aquino.
“We were able to recover four facilities. We are still looking at other investors who are not complying with their committed investments. Our efforts is not centered at the failure to honor commitments but also with those with arrears,” said Atty. Aquino.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic had affected operations at the SBMA but it is now slowly returning to its pre-pandemic level. “Defnitely the revenue of SBMA during the pandemic dipped and that was understandable because of the lockdowns. But right after the pandemic, 2022 was a good year for us and 2023 was even a better year for us,” said Atty. Aquino.