DAVAO CITY — “If God willing, the Davao-Samal Bridge will have its groundbreaking within the year,” as boldly declared by Island Garden City of Samal Mayor Al David Uy. This after, the city government was given assurance that the concern raised by the Rodriguez family earlier manifested opposition to the project is being addressed.
In an interview with Newsline, Uy said the project is now on its final stage as far a engineering design and they hope they can break the ground for the project this year.
But Uy stressed that he needs to confer with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio because Davao is one of the major components of the project.
The Rodriguez family has earlier wrote the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office about their opposition and even invoked the ‘Write of Kalikasan’.
A Writ of Kalikasan is a legal remedy under the law that provides protection of one’s constitutional right to a healthy environment. The planned Davao-Samal bridge will traverse the areas where Davao Beach Club is located along R. Castillo and Daang Maharlika Junction in Davao, while the Samal area will be in Barangays Caliclic and Limao where the Rodriguez property is located.
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) regional director Maria Lourdes Lim during the same forum said the above mentioned areas has been considered being the shortest and it complies the geographical requirement set by law.
Uy on Saturday said the city government of Samal and the City Council met the officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) late January to know the real status of the project. “During the forum we were told that the DPWH has already complied with the Environmental Assessment Impact of the project and they are now finalizing other details of the plan,” he stressed.
“This is democracy, everyone should be heard, but the will of the majority will prevail given this challenge,” Uy added. During the meeting, Lilibeth Rico of the DPWH shared to Samal officials the development of the P23.04-billion project. “We complied with the environmental requirements and the Environmental Impact Assessment,” Rico added.
Budget Secretary Atty. Wendel Avisado in January announced that the money to support all foreign funded projects is available. As planned the project will cost P23.04-billion and the Philippine Government Counterpart is now part of the GAA which was recently approved.
Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib said “by hook or by crook i-go ni nga project.” The DPWH said the detailed engineering of the project is now on its final stage.=Editha Z. Caduaya/
