Davao del Norte – The southbound portion of the PHP211 million Tuganay Bridge opened to motorists on Thursday, facilitating easier transport of agricultural commodities from the province. Davao del Norte 2nd District Representative Alan Dujali revealed in an interview that an additional PHP120 million has been allocated for Phase 3 construction works of the northbound portion of the bridge in the 2024 national expenditure program.
According to Philippines News Agency, The Tuganay Bridge project, set to complete in 2025, began with a PHP71 million budget for its first phase in 2021. The newly inaugurated section, phase two of the project, enhanced the bridge's substructure, doubling its loading capacity from 30 to 60 tons. Dujali emphasized the bridge's crucial role in supporting the province's agricultural industry, notably as the leading producer of bananas in the Philippines.
Davao del Norte, housing some of the largest agricultural plantations in the country, also significantly contributes to the production of rice, corn, coconut, abaca, ramie, coffee, fruits, and root crops. Dujali expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for ensuring the project's continued funding. Construction for the third phase is scheduled to commence in January next year.