In brief
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) issued a notice of award for the 2.54 km, PHP 7.78 billion Boracay Bridge to San Miguel Holdings Corp. on 30 March 2026, and local opposition followed. The latest report in the sources used is dated 5 June 2026: San Miguel says the project has not been abandoned, and neither it nor DPWH has said whether the award stands. Nothing later is reported in those sources.
- Length and cost: 2.54 km and PHP 7.78 billion, as reported in May 20263.
- As of 6 May 2026 the developer “has yet to apply” for an environmental clearance certificate, and a public hearing is a condition for one1.
- Opposition includes all 17 Aklan mayors, the provincial board and the boatmen’s cooperative, whose 414 boatmen and 40 employees fear losing their livelihoods2.
- On 27 May the governor said San Miguel’s chairman would no longer push the bridge; on 29 May the company said no final decision had been made23.
- None of the sources used gives a construction start or opening date.
Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links, marked by the products, tours and hotels they name. A purchase through these links may earn the site a commission at no cost to you, and it never affects what is recommended. How this works.
Where to book Current rates across the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a bridge to Boracay?
No. A bridge has been proposed and awarded, but none of the sources used reports construction or an opening date15.
Who won the Boracay Bridge contract?
San Miguel Holdings Corp., under a DPWH notice of award dated late March 2026, for PHP 7.78 billion23.
How long would the Boracay Bridge be?
2.54 km, as reported in May 202613.
Has the Boracay Bridge been cancelled?
Not formally, as of the latest report. The governor said on 27 May that San Miguel would drop it; the company said on 29 May that it had not been abandoned23. As of 5 June no announcement on the award had been reported5.
Why do people oppose the Boracay Bridge?
Boatmen and port workers fear losing livelihoods, and officials and residents raised environmental concerns123.
Does the bridge need an environmental clearance?
As of 6 May 2026 the developer had not applied for an environmental clearance certificate, and DENR said a public hearing is a condition for one1.
The detail
The proposed bridge would link Boracay Island to the Aklan mainland through the town of Malay1. This page sets out what was awarded, who opposes it and where the status stood at the latest report. For how people reach the island today, see Getting to Boracay.
The short answer
| If you are… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Planning a trip in the next year | Plan on the boat crossing. No source used here reports construction, a start date or an opening date. |
| Following the story | The latest report is 5 June 2026; check dated news for anything later5. |
| Wondering about fees | The terminal and boat fares are in Boracay fees; no source says they would change. |
What was awarded
DPWH issued a notice of award on 30 March 2026 to San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC) for the project at PHP 7.78 billion2. Reports in May 2026 give the length as 2.54 km13. San Miguel described it as a “controlled-access link” for essential goods, waste, utilities, emergency services and regulated transport, with use “limited to authorized vehicles”3. The company also said the bridge “will also not add hotel rooms, raise tourist caps or change Boracay’s carrying-capacity limits”3. Those are the developer’s statements, not findings.
Sources disagree Boracay Sun News gives 25 March 2026 as the date the notice of award was issued5. The Daily Guardian gives 30 March2. Both agree it was March; use “late March 2026”.
Who opposes it
The Daily Guardian lists the opposition2:
- Aklan’s provincial board approved a measure in October 2025 expressing “strong objection”.
- The municipality of Malay passed resolutions in 2024 and 2025 opposing the bridge and removing it from development plans.
- All 17 Aklan mayors urged DPWH to reconsider.
- The Caticlan-Boracay Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative reported about 40 employees, 414 boatmen and 2,200 dependents facing possible loss of livelihood.
San Miguel’s own May 2026 statement named boat owners, transport associations, cooperatives, tricycle drivers and port workers, and “possible livelihood displacement, outstanding boat modernization loans and changes to existing transport operations”3.
What the national government said
On 6 May 2026 BusinessMirror reported that the DENR acting secretary, Juan Miguel Cuna, said SMHC “has yet to apply for an environmental clearance certificate” and that a “public hearing is a condition” before one is issued1. The same report quoted a statement that the contract “is being finalized” and that San Miguel committed to listen to the concerns1. Aklan’s governor, Jose Enrique Miraflores, said President Marcos “expressed surprise” that DPWH approved the project without a public hearing1.
From 13 May to 5 June 2026
| Date (2026) | Event |
|---|---|
| 13 May | San Miguel leadership met Governor Miraflores and other Aklan officials3 |
| 27 May | The governor said Ramon Ang “agreed that he will no longer push through with the Boracay Bridge”2 |
| 29 May | San Miguel said the project “has not been abandoned” and further consultations would follow23 |
| 30 May | The Manila Times reported San Miguel saying no final decision had been made to abandon the project4 |
| 5 June | Boracay Sun News reported neither San Miguel nor DPWH had said whether the award would stay active, be suspended or be reviewed5 |
Sources disagree The governor said on 27 May that Ang had agreed to drop the bridge2. San Miguel replied that the conflicting reports came from “differing interpretations of discussions” at the 13 May meeting2. Boracay Sun News attributes to Ang, through Congressman Marquez, a position of not pushing the project “for now”, with a possible return after 10, 15 or 20 years5. Treat the bridge as shelved but not cancelled.
San Miguel’s chairman is also reported to have said the company “would not insist on pursuing the project if the host communities do not support it”3.
What is not known
The latest report in the sources used is dated 5 June 2026, and nothing later is reported in them5. They do not say whether DPWH has withdrawn or suspended the notice of award, whether an environmental clearance certificate was applied for after 6 May, or when any construction might begin.
Related Articles
Sources (5)
- Boracay bridge project moves forward as DPWH finalizes San Miguel contract — BusinessMirror, 6 May 2026. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- LOST IN TRANSLATION?: Boracay Bridge isn’t dead yet, San Miguel says — Daily Guardian, 1 June 2026. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- San Miguel affirms Boracay Bridge plan still under discussion — GMA News, 29 May 2026. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- No final decision yet on Boracay bridge project — San Miguel — The Manila Times, 30 May 2026. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Boracay Bridge Project in Limbo — Boracay Sun News, 5 June 2026. Accessed 2026-10-03.