The Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started construction of a road project that links the commercial district of Ortigas Business Center in Pasig City to Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City. 

The ground-breaking ceremony of the PHP1.6bn ($31m) BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road project was held at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

This BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project will involve construction of a four lane Sta Monica to Lawton bridge across the Pasig River that will link Lawton Avenue in Makati City and Sta Monica Street in Pasig City, and a viaduct structure stretching from Lawton Avenue to the entrance of Bonifacio Global City.

The BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road is expected to improve accessibility and travel times between the cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong, Taguig, and Makati. 

The Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Mark Villar explained that the government intends to take up more infrastructure projects in the country over the next five years.

"Once complete by March 2020, travelling between the central business districts of Taguig and Pasig Cities will only take 12 minutes."

Villar said: “Once completed by March 2020, travelling between the central business districts of Taguig and Pasig Cities will only take 12 minutes and traffic congestion at EDSA and C-5 Road particularly along Guadalupe Bridge and Bagong Ilog Bridge will be alleviated by about 25%.”

This project will be supervised by the PWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO). 

In addition to the Sta Monica to Lawton Bridge, DPWH intends to construct 12 new bridges over the Pasig-Marikina River and the Manggahan Floodway on a priority basis in order to provide fixed links over these rivers that will increase the road network capacity in Manila. 

From the 12 bridges, two will be constructed using grants offered by the Republic of China.

Image: The Department of Public Works and Highways breaks ground for BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project in the Philippines. Photo: courtesy of Republic of the Philippines.