Negros (16 March) --- A top national government official has recently proposed to link the island provinces in Visayas via bridges to spur brisk economic growth in the area.

National Security Norberto Gonzalez, in his recent visit to Dumaguete City , pointed out that industries in Visayas will benefit from bridges that will connect five island-provinces in Regions 6, 7 and 8 that make up the Visayas group of islands.

Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo disclosed that the secretary, in his talk with Governor Emilio C. Macias II, is proposing a series of bridges that will link Panay-Negros-Cebu-Bohol-Leyte islands, similar to the 2.16-kilometer San Juanico bridge joining Samar to Leyte islands.

Sedillo said that Gonzalez brought up the idea up after the governor showed him a map of Negros Island which is composed of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental provinces.

Gonzalez in proposing the island bridges was also encouraged by the Öresund Bridge, a 37-kilometer, combined two-track rail and four-lane road bridge-tunnel that links Denmark to Sweden.