Bataan Representative Abet Garcia met with New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Catherine McIntosh and key business leaders from the Makati Business Club on August 14 at the Four ECom Center to present major infrastructure projects aimed at boosting trade and easing traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

Central to the discussion was the Bataan–Cavite Interlink Bridge, a 32.15-kilometer sea-crossing that will connect Mariveles, Bataan to Naic, Cavite. Once completed, the bridge will cut travel time between CALABARZON and Bataan to just 40 minutes, and between Bataan and Manila to two hours, making it one of the longest sea-crossing bridges in the world.

Garcia also highlighted plans to expand the Roman Expressway and improve infrastructure beyond Bataan, including the Bulacan and Sangley airports as well as upgrades to Subic and Clark airports. These developments aim to create alternative routes to Metro Manila while bolstering tourism, manufacturing, and logistics in the province.

The lawmaker likewise presented the Manila Bay Integrated Development Plan, a Dutch-inspired coastal defense and highway system stretching from Bataan through Pampanga and Bulacan to Metro Manila. Designed to prevent large-scale flooding, store water for agriculture, and provide a new transport corridor to the capital, the project underscores Bataan’s role in regional development.

Garcia emphasized that with Central Luzon contributing nearly 60 percent of the country’s GDP, these initiatives are intended to position Bataan as a hub for tourism, trade, and logistics, while creating more jobs and business opportunities for residents through carefully planned, results-driven programs.

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