“Third bridge is a go,”

French envoy assures

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—With a botched grant from the Chinese government which has considerably stalled the multi-billion Panglao-Tagbilaran City Offshore Bridge Connector (PTCOBC), the French Government Financing Facility, via a preferential loan by the national government, assures the construction continuation and eventual completion of the designed iconic ‘third bridge.”

“One thing for sure, it’s a go,” assures French envoy Marc Raynal, Director of Development Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, Environment, Mobility and Planning of the French Embassy, during his visit to Bohol and meeting with key officials who would be responsible for the completion of the “third bridge”.

Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, who could not hide his excitement, immediately gathered the Bohol team of project implementers including the local DPWH District Office, Capitol’s Engineering Office, Environment Management Office and the Provincial Legal Officer to meet with the French Official and ready every information that the foreign funding facility representative may want to know.

The bridge that earned the monicker as the bridge to nowhere, as its two approaches were earlier completed in phases.

The 1 kilometer gap, which forms the phase where main connector bridge should be, has been made a political issue during the recent election, against the past local administration.

Stalled when the talks of the grant from China stopped, it was only in the later part of 2025 that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) published the invitation to bid for the P7.1 billion 1.03 kilometer four lane, cable stayed bridge for completion in three years as build-design project, in its Notice of Bidding dated November 12, 2025, which ignited the hopes of Boholanos again.

Offered for limited competitive bidding with a shortlisted French suppliers and contractors recommended by the French Government, the French key official officially visited Bohol to evaluate for the government, operational readiness of key implementers like the contractor, the DPWH and the local government as project proponent.

“We are here to assess the readiness of the company and the administration on their readiness to implement the project,” Raynal said referring to the technical component of the project and the capability of the engineers, emphasizing on a good team to implement the critical infrastructure.

PTCOBC is a national government project, but we were part of the endorsement to the Provincial and Regional Development Council to National Economic Development Authority which picked the project for national priority, shares Provincial planning and Development Officer Atty. John Titus Vistal, during the dinner meeting with the French envoy and the provincial government officials led by Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, February 6 at the Governor’s Office.

While the French Government Financing Facility has been helping the Philippines in its priority infrastructure projects especially bridges that connect farm to market roads with the Department of Agriculture and the Advancing Bridges Construction project for key road networks, Raynal underscored the government’s intent on working with projects that impact the community and facilitate the economic uplift of communities.

Sharing an unfavorable experience with politics messing with French funded projects, Director Raynal added that his visit also aims to ensure that technical, administrative, and operational requirements and policies are smoothened out, for a smooth project implementation.

We are ready, we will work to thresh out issues, Governor Aumentado also assured the official.

With the governor in accepting the French envoy were DPWH District Engineer John Paul Gascon, Provincial Legal Officer Handel Lagunay, Provincial Engineer Evelyn Ayuban, Environment Management Officer Jovencia Ganub and forester Teotimo Piolio.

As to Director Raynal, he intimated that his evaluation so far proved positive and everything is ready.

The project is set for completion by 2029 or 2030. (PIABohol)

BRIDGING GAPS. Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado assures Marc Raynal, Director of the Development Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, Environment, Mobility and Planning of the French Embassy that Bohol would be working to facilitate the smooth roll-out of the P7.1 B iconic cable-stayed bridge to open the third bridge access to Panglao airport and port. Raynal’s visit was to evaluate the capacities and readiness of the project implementation team. (PIABohol)