DAVAO CITY — The alignment of the P23-billion Samal Island-Davao City Connector project is fixed and no amount of protest can change the plan, this was the statement of Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib on Tuesday.
The plan, according to Jubahib, “Is fix and no more realignmen,t it is done,” as he emphasized that the approved plan was a carefuly studied, generally acceptable considering the flight path and the movement of vessels along the Davao-Samal strait.”
“I had a lengthy discussion with Highways Secretary Manuel Bunuan and he told me, the plan was presented to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. before the groundbreaking ceremony on October 27, the pro’s and the con’s and the President gave it a nod,” Jubahib explained.
The governor thanked the people of Davao City and Davao del Norte for showing tremendous support on the construction of bridge though two families are still opposing the current alignment plan.
“Everyone should look at the benefit of the project for all of us. The opposition group’s call for realignment is not feasible, according to Secretary Bunuan,” Jubahib revealed.
The Rodriguez and Lucas’ families are opposed to the current bridge alignment which stretch from R. Castillo Street in Davao City and lands at Barangayd Limao and Caliclic in Island Garden City of Samal, which will involve their properties.
The families said they are for the project but not the current alignment invoking the damage which the project might cost to the corals and other marine resources.
The Rodriguez and the Lucas are among the 57 property owners affected by the project, but they are so vocal about their realignment call while some of the property owners have agreed to the price which the government offers to acquire their properties for the benefit of the project.
The Chinese contractor “Will use modern construction techonology and every waste will be kept away fromt the shores and the marine resources, I see the plan and it is environmentally safe,” he added.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Marcos Jr. addressing to Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said “This bridge is a testament to the strong and ever-growing foundation of the bilateral relations and economic cooperation between us.”
The Samal-Davao bridge plan was hatched 47 years ago but it was given a green light after former President Rodrigo Duterte met Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing sometime in 2018, the project was discussed and the Chiinese government manifested desire to help the Duterte administration realize the long-dreamed project for the people not just in Davao Region but also for the people of Mindanao.-Editha Z. Caduaya
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