Marcos inaugurates Cagayan bridge

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Thursday inaugurated a P2.3-billion bridge in Cagayan province, which is expected to spur economic activity by cutting travel time and improving connectivity in the country’s northernmost areas.

The 2.16-kilometer, two-lane Camalaniugan Bridge spans the Cagayan River and offers an alternative to the Magapit Suspension Bridge.

“I am sure that this bridge will transform the economy on both sides. Many opportunities will open up, and this will provide new jobs and new business prospects in the surrounding areas. I’m confident that you will feel the economic effects in a very short time,” the President said in Filipino.

The bridge is expected to reduce travel time between the towns of Aparri and Ballesteros to about 20 minutes from roughly an hour, benefiting an estimated 6,000 daily commuters and travelers, according to government data.

Mr. Marcos said the government fast-tracked construction to deliver immediate benefits to nearby communities, including new business opportunities and jobs.

He also assured the public that spending on large-scale infrastructure projects translates into tangible economic gains for Filipinos. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana