Boracay bridge in the future?

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

In the near future, the local government of Malay is considering constructing a bridge linking Boracay Island to mainland Malay.

Malay Municipal administrator Godofredo Sadiasa said the proposed infrastructure will improve access of tourists and residents to Boracay Island.

A South Korean contractor is interested to conduct technical feasibility and design studies of building an inter-island bridge under a so-called build-operate-transfer scheme.

Once completed, there would be a direct all-weather link between Boracay Island and mainland Malay. Within five minutes, tourists can easily reach Boracay Island or Caticlan.

“There is no timetable yet for the ambitious project, in fact, the proposal to enter into an agreement for technical study by Mayor John Yap is so far under deliberation by the Sangguniang Bayan of Malay,” Sadiasa said in an interview.

The proposed bridge location is not also determined until the findings of technical studies are presented to the local government of Malay.

Also, the environmental and engineering studies remain a major consideration in the proposed bridge project.  

Sadiasa, also the current chairman of Caticlan Boracay Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CBTMPC), said the Boracay bridge will have also a major impact to the motorboat cooperative, which for years took advantage of the strong tourist arrivals in Boracay Island. 

CBTMPC is a motorboat cooperative ferrying tourists and passengers from Caticlan jetty port to Cagban jetty port.

"The cooperative is averaging 300 boat trips daily. In the future, the number of trips will increase due to huge influx in tourist arrivals," he said.

Sadiasa, however, believes that in the years ahead, the project rationale on the island’s carrying capacity and the prospects for tourism will be beneficial also to the motorboat cooperative. 

He said the influx of tourists within the next five to 10 years supports the need to allow the construction of a bridge to Boracay Island.