Panay: The much-awaited Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Bridges will proceed as planned, the top official of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) in Western Visayas confirmed on Monday. In a media interview, DEPDev Regional Director Arecio Casing Jr. stated that the Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office will go ahead with their activities.

According to Philippines News Agency, Casing clarified that there are no reports indicating that the Korean government has withdrawn its support. He suggested that reports citing the withdrawal might be related to a different project, which did not even materialize. This clarification comes in response to a report last month about the suspension of an infrastructure loan from the Korean government for projects under the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) amidst alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Casing further explained that since those projects did not materialize, DAR sought a different Official Development Assistance (ODA) source. He emphasized that the Department of Finance is responsible for the loan availability for the PGN project. Initially pegged at PHP300 billion, the first segment of the project, Panay-Guimaras, is set to begin in July 2026.

The Panay-Guimaras segment spans a total length of 13.616 kilometers, while the Guimaras to Negros segment stretches 19.47 kilometers. The project bears similarities to the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project, a 30-kilometer bridge with two spans passing through Corregidor Island, which has already attracted bids from international contractors. Casing expressed hope that the PGN bridge project will follow a similar trajectory soon.