EDITORIAL - A bridge-building spree, hopefully

In a speech delivered on his behalf by an undersecretary at the Philippine Economic Briefing in Cebu last week, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez titillated not just Cebuanos but the entire nation with tales of a bridge-building spree that will supposedly link the major islands in the Visayas with both Luzon and Mindanao, thereby effectively unifying the entire archipelago.

This was, of course, not the first time such a plan was put forth before the public. But this time, with the plan coming no less from the finance secretary himself, and with figures to boot, it appears there might be some credence to the plan after all. The only wish for the public now is for it not to become too good to be true.

And rightly so. Just consider the plan. An 18-km bridge will link Samar to Luzon. A 6-km bridge will link Panay to Guimaras. A 12-km bridge will link Guimaras to Negros. A 6-km bridge will then link Negros to Cebu. A 25-km bridge will link Cebu to Bohol. A 1-km bridge will link Bohol to Lapinig Island. An 18-km bridge will link Lapinig Island to Leyte. And finally a 20-km underwater tunnel will link Leyte to Mindanao. All of these bridges will cost P270 billion to build.

Again, Filipinos can only wish the plan can come true. But you cannot blame anyone for entertaining reservations. Because the way the plan is being put forth, it is as if bridges and tunnels are growing on trees. Yes, the government is in the midst of a massive build, build, build program. But then again, the sobering thought comes in that this very same government has been unable to solve supposedly minor land transportation-related irritants like sidewalk vending and colorum vehicles.

Nevertheless, hope springs eternal for a country where there is nowhere else to go but hope. So when some high government functionary dispenses with plans to build bridges as if bridges were going out of style, what else is there left to do except stand and applaud. Better have something to look forward to than bitch about what probably will not happen.

Just for good measure, so as to at least place in perspective where the Philippines might stand with its grandiose bridge-building plans, the world's longest continuous bridge over water is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana which is made up of two parallel bridges, with the longer of the two measuring 38 kilometers. The causeway is supported by 9,500 concrete pilings. So, a 25-km bridge from Cebu to Bohol may not be very far behind in comparison.