The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) inaugurated on Wednesday the PHP68.84-million newly-completed Bambang Bridge in this town.

Engineer Henry Alcantara of the DPWH Bulacan District Engineering Office, together with Senator Joel Villanueva, former CIBAC Party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna, and former Mayor Jonjon Villanueva, led the inauguration of the project that was initiated by the late Mayor Joni Villanueva-Tugna.

The Bambang Bridge, which is 78-meter long and 9.5-meter wide, links four neighboring barangays to the town proper.

Sen. Villanueva, in his speech, said the project is a dream come true for the people of Bocaue as well as for his sister, Mayor Joni.

“Itong tulay na ito na matanda pa sa atin na halos 50 taon na bago naipagawa ay magiging parte ng ating buhay at tatawagin ko sa sarili ko na Mayor Joni Villanueva Bridge, at sa inisyatiba at kakakulit ng namayapang mayor ay nabigyan ito ng pondo ng national government (This bridge that is more than 50 years old prior to its reconstruction will become part of our lives and to myself, I will call it as Mayor Joni Villanueva Bridge, and with the initiative and persistence of the late mayor, this was funded by the national government),” he said.

The reconstruction of the bridge started in December 2019.

Meanwhile, Alcantara apologized for the delay in the completion of the project that started in December 2019.

“Maraming naging problema kaya medyo na-delay ang pagbubukas nitong tulay ng Bambang. Ang mga poste ng kuryente kailangan pa naming kausapin ang Meralco para mailipat ito at hindi na maging istorbo sa konstruksyon (There was a lot of problems, that is why the opening of the Bambang bridge was a bit delayed. Like the electric posts, we had to talk to Meralco for their transfer so as not to hamper the construction,” Alcantara said.

He noted that Bambang Bridge is part of the long list of DPWH’s priority infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Meanwhile, simultaneous with the opening of the bridge was also the opening of the Bocaue Pagoda Viewdeck adjacent to it.

The 78-meter long and four-meter wide concrete view deck is accessible to people when crossing the bridge and is intended to be used during the celebration of the “Pagoda sa Wawa” or the Bocaue Pagoda Festival. (PNA)