DAVAO CITY (July 1) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has announced that construction of the Samal Island–Davao City Connector (SIDC) Bridge has reached an impressive 38% completion rate, significantly ahead of schedule.
Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, who oversees DPWH’s flagship infrastructure initiatives, reported to Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan that the project has exceeded its original target accomplishment of 16%, reflecting a positive variance of 22%.
Funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the SIDC Bridge is being implemented by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office–Bridges Management Cluster (UPMO-BMC), with China Road and Bridge Corporation serving as the contractor.
This toll-free, four-lane extradosed bridge will span 4.76 kilometers, connecting Davao City at the R. Castillo–Daang Maharlika Junction to the Samal Circumferential Road.
The SIDC Bridge is expected to dramatically reduce travel time between Davao City and Samal Island, boost tourism, enhance mobility, and spur economic growth across the Davao Region.
On June 27, 2025, Senior Undersecretary Sadain led an on-site inspection joined by UPMO-BMC Project Director Rodrigo I. Delos Reyes, UPMO Roads Management Cluster I (Bilateral) Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, Project Manager Joweto V. Tulaylay, and Project Engineer John Christian T. Gaden.
Key design features include a 275-meter main span with a 47-meter vertical clearance to accommodate marine traffic, and a 1.62-kilometer marine crossing supported by two pylons rising 73 meters above sea level. The bridge will also include approach roads, ramps, and roundabouts.
Construction milestones achieved to date include:
- Land Viaduct Bored Piling:
- Davao side: 73 out of 110 bored piles completed (66.36%)
- Samal side: All bored piles completed
- Davao side: 73 out of 110 bored piles completed (66.36%)
- Navigation Bridge Bored Piling:
- Both Davao and Samal sides completed
- Seal concrete installation ongoing on the Davao side; completed on the Samal side
- Both Davao and Samal sides completed
- Marine Viaduct Bored Piling:
- Davao side: 12 out of 32 piles completed (37.5%)
- Samal side: 11 out of 44 piles completed (25%)
- Davao side: 12 out of 32 piles completed (37.5%)
- Ramp Construction (Davao side):
- 60 out of 133 piles completed (45.11%)
- 60 out of 133 piles completed (45.11%)
- Pile Cap Installations:
- Davao side: 11 out of 26 pile caps completed
- Samal side: 5 out of 16 pile caps completed
- Davao side: 11 out of 26 pile caps completed
In preparation for road widening along Daang Maharlika, fencing installation and the removal of existing structures have been finalized. The Davao Light and Power Company has completed the installation of primary and secondary distribution lines and is awaiting energization.
Right-of-way (ROW) acquisition is also progressing steadily. Of 69 affected lots in Davao City and Samal Island, 61 (88%) have been acquired. For affected structures in Davao City, 22 out of 51 (43%) have been secured, with the remainder in the acquisition process.
With construction well ahead of schedule, the SIDC Bridge is on track to become a transformative infrastructure link that will strengthen inter-island connectivity and drive long-term development throughout Mindanao.
