New bridge connects 13 seaside villages to Cotabato City

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Thirteen barangays in the western coast of Maguindanao are now connected by a new P108-million bridge to this city, something first in the 48-year history of the province.

The bridge connecting both banks of the Matuber River in Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao was launched Saturday by representatives from the Bangsamoro government led by Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim.

The construction of the bridge, started in 2019, was first bankrolled by the then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and, subsequently, continued by the newly-established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Datu Blah Sinsuat Mayor Marshall Sinsuat told reporters after the bridge was opened to traffic on Saturday morning that he and his 13 constituent-barangay chairpersons are grateful to the BARMM government for the completion of the project.

“This is so important for us, for the local business sector and for all residents in our 13 coastal barangays,” Sinsuat said.

The 13 barangays in Datu Blah Sinsuat, originally under Upi town in Maguindanao, were grouped together as one municipality via a legislation 12 years ago by the Regional Assembly of the now defunct ARMM.

The ARMM was replaced with BARMM in February 2019 as a result of 22 years of peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Residents of the 13 barangays in Datu Blah Sinsuat can only reach Cotabato City, the capital of BARMM, either by boat and small motorized outrigger watercrafts before.

The inauguration of the Matuber Bridge in Barangay Matuber, Datu Blah Sinsuat was jointly led by municipal officials and Ebrahim.

Ebrahim presides over BARMM’s 80-seat interim parliament, more known as the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

He was accompanied to Datu Blah Sinsuat by Regional Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo and the architect Eduard Guerra, who is at the helm of BARMM’s public works ministry.

Bangsamoro parliament members Susana Anayatin, Baintan Adil-Ampatuan and Rasul Esmael, Education Minister Muhaguer Iqbal, Transportation and Communications Minister Dickson Hermoso, Major Gen. Juvymax Uy of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and Brig. Gen. Jonas Lumawag of the Philippine Navy’s 1st Marine Brigade were also present in the event.

Maguindanao Vice. Gov. Lester Sinsuat said the Matuber Bridge will connect the business communities in the seaside barangays in his hometown Datu Odin Sinsuat with counterparts in neighboring fishing villages in Datu Blah Sinsuat.

Ebrahim, Guerra and Sinarimbo also led the symbolic groundbreaking rite for the construction of a P25 million municipal hall in Datu Blah Sinsuat.

The BARMM government shall fund the municipal hall building project via the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government under Sinarimbo.

Saturday’s engagement of senior BARMM officials in Datu Blah Sinsuat was partly capped off with the inauguration of its new two-storey Sangguniang Bayan building and the town’s first ever gasoline station owned by a local business group.

Sinarimbo, BARMM’s regional spokesperson, said the fledging Datu Blah Sinsuat has improved remarkably in recent years.

Sinarimbo said he is certain investors from outside would soon put up viable businesses in the now progressive town.