MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is set to receive a €350-million (approx. ₱23.7-billion) loan from France to fund the construction of 300 modular steel bridges in agricultural areas nationwide.
- Scope: 300 modular steel panel bridges across 52 provinces in 15 regions.
- Distribution: 50% of the bridges will be built in Mindanao, 30% in Luzon, and 20% in the Visayas.
- Timeline: The loan agreement is expected to be signed in April or May 2026. Construction is slated to begin in June or July and will take three to four years to complete.
- Infrastructure Type: The project includes 4 standard single-lane bridges and 296 extra-wide single-lane bridges, covering a total of 11,400.9 linear meters.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa explained that these bridges are essential to making the country’s existing Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) projects fully functional.
- Efficiency: “Many roads have been constructed without bridges, so these cannot be used 100 percent efficiently,” De Mesa noted.
- Strategic Selection: The 300 sites were chosen from 1,428 proposals by local government units, focusing on areas with high agricultural potential but poor accessibility.
Beyond the French deal, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is exploring additional bilateral agreements for rural infrastructure:
- Austria: Initial discussions for a pact by 2027.
- United Kingdom: Also being considered for future bridge projects. The French government has reportedly indicated it is willing to provide further funding beyond this initial €350-million package if needed.