TARLAC CITY, Philippines — The completion of the 105-long Cubcub Bridge in Mayantoc town has bolstered economic activity and the confidence of residents in several Tarlac localities that weather devastations similar to those triggered by typhoons Ondoy and Sendong will not hit hard on them.

The improvement of the bridge has directly resulted in small businesses thriving in the area. Among these businesses are rice mills, quarries selling aggregates, and a number of family-run selling furniture made of gmelina, a fast-growing tree, which is bountiful in the area.

Agricultural goods are now easily transported and sold in the Mayantoc market instead of Camiling, spurring the local economy. Buyers and traders can now go to the farms to buy goods, eliminating the problem of middlemen. Residents have set up sari-sari stores in the villages to resell basic goods, which they restock from town. The town has also seen better market prices because of the bridge.

Mayantoc Mayor Iluminado Pobre lauded government for the swift completion of the project, saying that the steel modular bridge allayed fears by his constituents of being isolated during typhoons and guarantees quick relief and evacuation operations during emergency situations.

However, Pobre said prospects of better economy and livelihood opportunities for Mayantoc, San Jose and other Tarlac localities are the primary benefits of the new bridge that replaced the concrete span that collapsed in 2010.

“Without that bridge, our economy would be dead,” said Pobre. “Everyday, that’s where all the vehicles pass to get to the market and sell goods.”

He said agriculture and tourism development have also been given a boost by the Cubcub bridge that was built by British firm Mabey and Johnson (M and J) in just nine months.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the construction was part of an Overseas Development Assistance package extended through the UKExports Credit Guarantee Department under the President’s Bridge’s Program.

The M and J was lauded for completing 1,200 bridge projects under the PBP, all of which were completed within the allotted time frame and incurred no cost overruns.

Aside from providing more efficient transport for farm to market goods, the bridge also services trucks carrying aggregates from quarrying sites, furniture made by local businesses, and visitors on their way to visit tourist spots.