FACT CHECK: Idea for Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project first presented in 1987

Claim: The Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB) project was the brainchild of Bataan 2nd District Representative Albert Garcia.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in a Facebook post by the ​​Bataan Peninsula Times, which has 587 followers. It was also mentioned in an April 1 article by the Daily Tribune.

The posts stated that the BCIB was a “brainchild” of the congressman, who “worked for its approval by then President Rodrigo Duterte and national government agencies.”

The facts: The Cambridge dictionary defines brainchild as “an original idea, plan, or invention.” The idea for a bridge-tunnel that would link Bataan and Cavite was first proposed by former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair Felicito Payumo in 1987 during his first term as Bataan representative, according to an Inquirer.net report and documents provided to Rappler by Payumo’s daughter Aileen. 

In 2016, Payumo revived the idea for the project, initially named the Trans Manila Bay Crossing, to “push growth” outside of Metro Manila.

Duterte’s BBB program: The BCIB was among the infrastructure projects under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s Build, Build, Build (BBB) program. The project was approved in 2020 by the National Economic and Development Authority. During this time, Garcia was serving his third term as Bataan governor before becoming 2nd district representative in 2022.

In June 2022, Garcia thanked Duterte for the BCIB project, saying it would help decongest Metro Manila and “provide outstanding opportunities for both Bataan and Cavite.”

Key infrastructure project: Now transitioned into the current Marcos administration’s “Build Better More” program, the 32.15-kilometer bridge will connect Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan to Barangay Timalan Concepcion in Naic, Cavite.

The Asian Development Bank is co-financing the P175.7 billion project with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. 

Considered among the infrastructure priority projects of the Marcos government, the BCIB, according to the President, is expected to reduce travel time from Bataan to Cavite from 5 hours to “maybe 45 minutes of travel.”

Similar claims surrounding the bridge have been previously fact-checked by Rappler:

1. FACT CHECK: Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project started before Marcos Jr.’s term
2. FACT CHECK: Ex-president Marcos didn’t provide blueprints for Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project

– Andrei Santos/Rappler.com

Andrei Santos is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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