TACLOBAN CITY – Officials in Northern Samar welcomed the inclusion of P1 billion in initial funding for the Samar Pacific Coastal Road 2 (SPCR 2) Project under the 2026 budget.
The SPCR 2 Project will include the construction of an 800-meter bridge, named Laoang Bridge 2, linking Talisay and Poblacion villages in Laoang, as well as a 605-meter bridge, known as Laoang Bridge 3, linking Calomotan and Pangpang villages in Palapag town.
Governor Harris Ongchuan, who lobbied for the project in the 19th Congress, thanked the national government for its strong support for this initiative.
“This will not only increase connectivity but also significantly enhance local economic activity and promote peace in the region. When completed, travel time from Laoang to Palapag and vice versa will significantly decrease from one hour to just about 19 minutes,” Ongchuan said in a statement.
Originally proposed by the late Rep. Emil Ong, the project received endorsement from the Regional Development Council (RDC) in June 2021 and was subsequently presented to the national government in September of the same year.
During the inauguration in July 2023 of the SPCR 1 Project, also known as the Simora-Palapag Road, 2nd District Rep. Edwin Ongchuan, who was then governor, personally asked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to fund the implementation of the SPCR 2 Project, for which he has long been pushing.
“The SPCR 2 project aims to provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people and goods between Laoang Island and the Samar mainland, significantly contributing to the growth of Northern Samar,” Ongchuan said.
Marcos approved the inclusion of the SPCR 2 project in the National Expenditure Program during the 7th National Economic and Development Authority (now Department of Development) board meeting on July 19, 2024.
On Oct. 7, 2024, the Philippine government formalized the loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of Korea for the funding of the SPCR 2 project, amounting to US$111.43 million or approximately P6.34 billion. (PNA)
