An official of the regional office of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA 11) confirmed on Thursday that the start of the implementation of the P23-billion Samal Island-Davao City (SIDC) Connector Project continues to be stalled due to Right-of-Way (ROW) issues.
NEDA 11 Regional Director Maria Lourdes D. Lim told the media that the Department of Public Works and Highways-Unified Project Management Office (DPWH-UPMO) is still facing difficulty in gaining access to some affected properties in the Samal side of the said project.
“Davao-Samal Bridge project is still suspended because of the ROW issues. Mahirap to gain access doon sa mga properties so they (implementing agencies) have to be permitted by the property owners. It’s still being negotiated,” she said in an interview.
Earlier this year, DPWH-UPMO reported that the procurement of ROW and the conduct of geotechnical surveys have been suspended since January this year.
Lim, however, said that the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) is almost 80 percent complete.
In July this year, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan told the media that DPWH is eyeing to commence the initial construction of the project before the year ends.
He said DPWH is targeting to commence the construction on the side of Davao City.
Meanwhile, Governor Edwin Jubahib of Davao del Norte is optimistic that despite resistance from some affected property owners, the bridge will be materialized.
He said dredging for the columns of the said bridge on the Samal side is ongoing.
“Ang SIDC ongoing ang pagtrabaho niini. Nakita nato naay mga resistance pero nakita nato nga padayon ang construction. Nagstart na ang dredging para sa poste. Tanan ongoing na. Naa na ang mga equipment from China para magamit sa construction,” he said.
Jubahib also thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former president Rodrigo Duterte for giving priority to the said project.
During his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July this year, Marcos cited inter-island bridges among his priorities in his P8.3-trillion “Build Better More” Program.
“Lucky kaayo ta kay gihatagan ug priority ni President Marcos ang tulay ug gihatagan ug dakong pondo para mabuhatan ug tulay from Davao to Samal para dili nata mag antos sa paghulat sa kadugay para makatabok sa island,” Jubahib said.
