It is hoped that sooner or later a highly ambitious infrastructure project will be concretely realized in the Visayas – the NECEBOLEY Interlink.
Included in this package is the construction of a huge bridge that will connect Cebu to Bohol, a project that has been conceived during the time of former Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado.
NECEBOLEY is the shortened name of Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol and Leyte, and the NECEBOLEY Interlink will include bridges, highways and mass transit network that will connect the four island provinces.
An unsolicited proposal under the public-private partnership (PPP) was presented by Mr. Alfonso Damalerio to the Bohol Provincial Development Council (PDC) during its Executive Committee Meeting in December 2017.
The interlink package has six components -(a) bridge from Sibulan, Negros Or. going to Santander, Cebu (b) south transaxial highway from Santander going to Naga, Cebu (c) viaduct and causeway from Naga connecting to SRP or South Reclamation Project, Cebu (d) aqualink bridge from Cordova, Cebu linking to Getafe, Bohol (e) highway from Getafe going to Ubay, Bohol (f) and the bridges from Ubay linking to the island municipality of Pres. Garcia, Bohol (formerly Pitogo) that will connect to Maasin, Southern Leyte.
The Cordova-Cebu Link Expressway (CCLEX) or third Cebu-Mactan bridge is a different project that will be constructed after the contract was awarded recently.
CONNECTION TO 12 MILLION POPULATION
Damalerio said that the NECEBOLEY Interlink will include 238 kilometers of iconic, high-standard and all-weather bridge, highway and mass transit-ready network that will link with 12 million people of the four provinces.
All components of the interlink package will be simultaneously prepared with a total amount of $11.5 billion or P580 billon within three years.
Under the PPP, the operation of the interlink will be managed by a big consortium of investors within 50 years after which it will be turned over to the government.
Within that timeframe, the province of Bohol stands to gain an estimated amount of P150 billon coming from the toll fee share from the Cebu-Bohol and Bohol-Leyte interlink.
A progressive funding institution from United Kingdom and an established infrastructure developer from Spain are members of the interested consortium or group of investors.
The aggressive infrastructure project was discussed also by Governor Edgar Chatto with the project proponent and officials of Cebu, Negros and Cordova after the meeting of the Regional Development Council in Cebu last December. (translated from the Visayan news of Ven rebo Arigo)