PH, Japan exchange notes on extra P2B to fortify 2 metro bridges

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Japan on Thursday exchanged diplomatic notes for the P2 billion additional funding to reinforce two major bridges in Metro Manila in a bid to make them resilient to large-scale earthquakes.

Emerging from an expanded bilateral meeting in Makati, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu signed and exchanged the notes on the ¥4.4 billion (around P2 billion) supplemental funding for the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project.

“Secretary Locsin and I have just signed and exchanged diplomatic notes on additional yen credit for the reinforcement of major bridges in Metro Manila against earthquakes,” Motegi said in Japanese.

“Japan wishes to cooperate by leveraging on our knowledge in responding to natural disasters which is a common challenge for both our countries,” he added.

The project aims to improve the Lambingan Bridge and Guadalupe Bridge through the incorporation of better seismic bridge design specifications.

Japan has committed to providing a supplemental loan amount of ¥4.4 billion (around P2 billion) to the original ¥9.7 billion (around P5 billion).

READ: Japanese loans for PH road, bridge projects seen OKd soon

“This current project responds to an increase in total the project cost and the extension of the project implementation period by one year and eight months until August 2023,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said during the signing and exchanging of the diplomatic notes.

“The cost increase is due to changes in construction technology to be applied onto Guadalupe Bridge, the need for temporary detour bridges in Guadalupe, and the need for additional work shifts to the construction period, among others,” he added.

Locsin thanked the Japanese government for its “continued and substantial” financial and technical support for the Philippines’ infrastructure project.

Edited by KGA