Secretary Antonio Ernesto F. Lagdameo Jr. of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President of the Philippines, with Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Kashikawa, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan on Monday, October 9, 2023 led the inauguration ceremony for a new two (2) westbound lanes of the Japan-assisted Arterial Bypass Road Project also known as Plaridel Bypass in the town of San Rafael, Bulacan.
Also present at the inauguration of the project involving the expansion of existing two (2)-lane road to four (4) lanes to cater the increasing volume of traffic are Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Takema Sakamoto, DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, Bulacan Vice-Governor Alexis C. Castro, Bulacan 3rd District Representative Lorna C. Silverio, Bustos Mayor Francis Albert Juan, San Rafael Mayor Mark Cholo I. Violago, and other DPWH and local government officials.
In his project briefing, Secretary Bonoan said that the inaugurated section covering the construction of 7.64-kilometer road including 36.86 meter single-span bridge and a 318-meter flyover form part of the Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase 3, contract package 4.
Started sometime in 2020 and continued on despite encountering several challenges, such as delays due to two (2) years of pandemic restrictions, right of way acquisition, limited project funding and other unforeseen circumstances.
“The additional lanes provided will address traffic congestion and enhance economic activities of the entire Province of Bulacan,” added Secretary Bonoan.
According to Senior Undersecretary Sadain, in-charge of DPWH infrastructure flagship projects, from the initial stage of two (2)-lane two (2)-way traffic under Phase 1 and 2, the Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase 3 funded by loan agreement No. PH-P266 between the Government of the Philippines and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) involves widening of the entire 24.61 kilometer stretch of Arterial Road Bypass Project traversing five (5) municipalities of Bulacan namely: Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos, and San Rafael.
The widened portion of the bypass road now stretches 9.97 kilometers with the 2.22-kilometer contract package 3 including one (1) of Luzon’s longest bridges across the Angat River in Bustos, Bulacan completed in 2021.
In line with “Build Better More” infrastructure development agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the DPWH targets to finish by first half of 2024 the ongoing contract packages 1 and 2 which will cover the remaining 12.5 kilometers the project currently 64.28 percent completed, said Senior Undersecretary Sadain.
Arterial Bypass Road Project linked the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) at station 34 + 900 in Barangay Burol, Balagtas, Bulacan with the Maharlika Highway to station 57 + 366 in Barangay Maasim, San Rafael.
Under implementation supervision of DPWH Senior Undersecretary Sadain with the Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) – Roads Management Cluster I (Bilateral) headed by Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, the completed contract package 4 was awarded to Sino Road & Bridge Group Co., Ltd.
The first two (2) lanes of Plaridel Bypass also financed by the Government of Japan have made major economic impact by improving the network among the areas traversed.
The opening of the additional two (2) lanes is expected to boost industrialization and inflow of tourists, thereby improving the quality of life of many Filipinos, particularly those in the Province of Bulacan and nearby areas of Central Luzon.
