The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has recently completed a 75-meter bridge that allows tourists to reach two popular beach areas in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental without riding a boat.
With the structure in place, the public now has easier access to the pristine beaches of Sugar and Langub beach resorts in Barangay Nauhang.
DPWH-Western Visayas regional director Lea Delfinado said in a statement on Tuesday that the bridge links two sitios (zones) of the village separated by a natural waterway leading to the ocean, requiring tourists to rent a motorboat to reach the shoreline.
“It was a bit uncomfortable travel. With the completion of the project, they can simply drive their own cars to their desired destination. Convenience in the transportation of the locals also greatly improved,” she added.
The bridge construction was undertaken by the DPWH Negros Occidental Third District Engineering Office headed by District Engineer Rodney Gustilo.
Gustilo said the bridge is part of the PHP50-million access road development leading to Sugar Beach Resort and Langub Beach Resort, a convergence project of the DPWH and the Department of Tourism.
It involves the construction of 225-lineal meter concrete road and slope protection, with gabions and grouted riprap, reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings as well as chevron road signs and guardrails to ensure the safety of motorists and travelers.
“The tourism industry in the city is enhanced with the completion of this bridge, which leads to the opening of small businesses catering to the increasing number of tourists visiting these pristine beaches and commune with Mother Nature,” Gustilo said.
Nauhang resident Rowena Montalvo said the bridge project also provides easy access in transporting their agricultural and marine products to a larger market, and in cases of medical emergency, they need not wait for a motorboat to transfer patients to the city proper.
Sipalay, located about 175 kilometers south of Bacolod, is the top tourist destination in Negros Occidental.
It is dubbed “The Jewel of Sugar Island” for its white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, attracting both foreign and domestic tourists. (PNA)
