DREAM BIG, BUILD WITH REALITY
by Donald Sevilla
Recently, talks have resurfaced about grandiose plans to build a bridge linking Bohol to Cebu. While it is okay to think big and grand, before we get excited and jump with glee about it, let us first approach the subject sensibly and with practicality.
Before anything else there are at least two major hurdles to overcome before such a plan becomes a reality.
1.ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL VIABILITY
While technology has progressed remarkably over time and innovations in engineering make possible, remarkable construction unheard of before, the plan may not be impossible after all.
Bridges have been constructed over deep water with piles driven as deep as 122 meters(400 feet) into the river bed in the case of the PADMA bridge over the Padma River in Bangladesh.
On average deep water bridges have pillars that drive 80 ft.( 24.38m) in the water. The Bohol-Cebu bridge link would have to go over the Olango Channel whose depth ranges from 100- 130 ft.with strong underwater sea currents. Remember conditions in a river are normally far less turbulent and drastic than the open ocean especially at times of bad weather disturbances.
While building the bridge going to Cebu from Bohol may seem easy as hopping between islets and sandbars along the way, the channel crossing remains its greatest challenge. Yet this is apart from the seismic considerations that have to be taken into account.
2. FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY
As in any gargantuan project to be undertaken, return on investment, benefits against cost have to be carefully weighed.The cost of constructing this bridge may very well run into the billions and at a time where we are plagued by economic uncertainty after covid is this the right time to even be talking about it?
Couldn’t we be wasting time and energy discussing it now, when we should be more focused on “repairing” our economy and other priorities?
While not shooting this plan downright in the foot, we must remember that during Pres.Duterte’s “Build,Build,Build” program, this proposal while initially included was eventually scrapped as it was deemed not a priority. Rightly so.
While zealous proponents may argue otherwise, do we really think that Bohol’s present economy and population can support sustained economic activity to complement it? We do not even have an SM or Robinson’s mall in our midst at the present owing to our lack of “purchasing power” and considering that we are lacking in precious resources, we coud just be throwing good money after bad.
Our country, much more our province badly need to get back in shape after all the havoc brought about by natural disasters and the pandemic We need to be focused on getting back on our feet and channel every available resource to achieving it.
We cannot risk burdening ourselves with the huge cost of investment which for sure will be funded by foreign resources. We cannot go the course of other countries like Sri Lanka who relied heavily on foreign funding for their ambitious infrastructure projects that brought their country on its knees.
While the Bohol-Cebu bridge may be an iconic marvel of engineering and a legacy, it’s time has not yet come.
Let us instead make Bohol more livable and enticing. Let’s address and solve the basic issues plaguing us, power, high cost of living , rising food and fuel prices and a lot more.
Let us first put food on our tables before we start reaching out for the moon!
* with references from Wikipedia and Google