An official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) bared that the halted Detailed Engineering Design (DED) Phase for the stalled Samal Island-Davao City (SIDC) Connector Project has been resolved.
DPWH Unified Project Management Office (DPWH UPMO) Bridge Management Cluster Project Director Rodrigo Delos Reyes told Edge Davao that the survey works and geotechnical investigation activities as part of the DED Phase, which have been halted due to compliance with proper procedures related to the turn-over of properties in both Davao City and IGaCos side, is now resolved.
“In view of these recent developments in the Road Right-of-Way (RROW) acquisition concerns in both the Davao City and Samal Island side, the issuance of the Work Resumption Order (WRO) for DED was already issued to the contractor effective February 1, 2024,” Delos Reyes said in an interview via email.
It can be recalled that the DED phase was suspended because of the ROW issue.
Speaking at the Kapehan sa Dabaw earlier this month, DPWH Region 11 spokesperson Dean Ortiz explained that there are some portions where DPWH cannot conduct soil explorations because it has not entered the property yet.
Ortiz also cited a DPWH report indicating that all 10 lots on the Samal Island side and four lots on the Davao City side of the SIDC Connector Project under expropriation were already turned over to DPWH in compliance with the issued Writ of Possessions by the concerned Regional Trial Courts (RTCs).
He said the check payments for five out of 55 lots in Davao City side under negotiated sale were already released, while the remaining are already under process for release in the department.
Ortiz also said that 104 out of 106 boreholes in total for the Davao City side, offshore, and Samal Island side for the design of the bridge structures have already been completed.
