June 2025
For decades, the Island Province of Basilan has remained just out of reach — both literally and metaphorically — from the opportunities that have transformed mainland cities like Zamboanga into centers of trade, education, health, and governance in Western Mindanao. This disconnect has contributed to a cycle of underdevelopment, isolation, and instability. But that cycle can end — and it may well end soon.
Enter the ZAMBAS Friendship Bridge, a visionary infrastructure project that proposes to physically connect Zamboanga City and Isabela City in Basilan via an 18-nautical mile span traversing Sta. Cruz and Malamawi Islands. First proposed in 2017 by Basilan leader and Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) Administrator Abdulghani “Gerry” Salapuddin, the bridge is now gaining momentum, with regional development planners integrating it into the 2025–2050 Regional Physical Framework Plan and discussions advancing in agencies such as the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev).
This is no ordinary bridge. Once built, the ZAMBAS Friendship Bridge will be among the longest sea-crossing bridges in the world, but more importantly, it will become a symbol of unity, inclusion, and transformation for two provinces that have long been separated by more than just water.
A Lifeline for Basilan
The ZAMBAS Bridge is not just a convenience — it is a lifeline. For Basilan, this connection represents a direct channel to the economic arteries of Zamboanga City and beyond. The current ferry system, while functional, is often slow, unreliable, and expensive, posing barriers for residents, entrepreneurs, and students who need to travel for trade, education, health services, or family reasons.
With the bridge, travel time will be drastically reduced. Basilan’s farmers will be able to bring their produce to Zamboanga’s markets in hours instead of days. Investors will find it easier — and safer — to explore opportunities in the island. Residents will no longer be cut off from the region’s major hospitals during medical emergencies. Students will gain greater access to colleges and universities.
In short, the bridge brings Basilan closer to everything it has historically been denied.
Unlocking Trade and Investment
The bridge also promises to stimulate significant economic activity in both provinces. Easier transport will attract private sector investment in logistics, tourism, agriculture, and even light industry. The construction phase itself will create jobs for engineers, construction workers, transport providers, and other skilled laborers.
Zamboanga’s manufacturers, exporters, and logistics firms will benefit from a more seamless connection with Basilan’s agricultural hinterlands. Basilan, in turn, can begin its long-overdue shift from a conflict-scarred periphery to a strategic hub for commerce and connectivity in the Bangsamoro region.
The Bangsamoro Economic Development Council (BEDC), to which Basilan Governor Hadjiman Hataman-Salliman submitted eight priority infrastructure projects in 2023, has rightly seen the bridge as a transformative regional endeavor. It aligns perfectly with the vision of integrating the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) into the national economy, reducing dependency and building capacity for long-term growth.
Strengthening Peace and Order
Perhaps most compelling is the bridge’s potential to consolidate peace in a region where geography has long complicated governance, law enforcement, and service delivery. Isolation breeds vulnerability — not just to poverty but to the violent ideologies and criminal syndicates that prey on desperation.
Bringing Basilan into tighter logistical and administrative coordination with Zamboanga City will improve the delivery of public services and allow for faster deployment of response teams in times of emergencies. Infrastructure, when coupled with genuine engagement, has always been a powerful peace-building tool.
More than any military operation or security intervention, the bridge can be a long-term deterrent to violence by bringing prosperity within reach of ordinary Basileños.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Of course, challenges remain. The project’s scale is massive, and the cost will be substantial — hence the need for external funding from institutions like the Asian Development Bank (ADB), OECD, or other bilateral partners. The ecological impact on the maritime ecosystem must also be carefully studied and mitigated, especially given the area’s rich biodiversity and fishing grounds.
Moreover, the bridge must be paired with policies that promote inclusive growth — from port development and road upgrades to enterprise support and educational scholarships. A bridge alone cannot solve systemic problems, but it can be the foundation for solving them.
Transparency, public participation, and local government cooperation will be critical. The national government, especially through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Southern Philippines Development Authority, must ensure that local voices are heard — and that the bridge is not just built, but owned by the people it is meant to serve.
The Bridge as a Legacy
When Gerry Salapuddin first wrote to then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017 to request support for the ZAMBAS Bridge, some may have thought it a pipe dream. But in 2025, it is finally taking shape — not just on paper, but in the imaginations and aspirations of two provinces ready for transformation.
If completed, the ZAMBAS Friendship Bridge will not just be an engineering marvel. It will be a monument to what vision, persistence, and political will can achieve.
It will be a bridge from poverty to opportunity, from conflict to peace, and from marginalization to integration. It will be a bridge to the future that Basilan — and all of Mindanao — truly deserves.