Co-benefit analysis of the proposed Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge Project, Western Visayas, Philippines

摘要

The Western Visayas region is at the heart of the Philippine archipelago. It consists of three main islands, Panay, Guimaras, and Negros. Because of the region's geographic make-up, an efficient inter-island transport system is necessary to ensure the continuous flow of goods, services, and people. In order to aid the region in continuously becoming a significant contributor to the economy, the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) inter-island bridge project is proposed. The proposed project intends to connect the three main islands via inter-island bridges that span approximately 23 km. The bridge will connect the main urban centers of the region, Iloilo City in Panay Island and Bacolod City in Negros Island. This study looks into the proposed PGN project and current condition of the inter-island travel in the region. Specifically, this study will employ the co-benefit approach as suggested by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) on the proposed PGN project. Results of this study are beneficial for the preliminary evaluation of the project. The various benefits and savings from travel time, vehicle operating cost, and air emissions are quantified and converted to monetary terms through this method. The result of this study can provide input in the initial assessment of the project before the full cost-benefit analysis is employed.