DAVAO CITY — The much-talked about and long-awaited Davao-Samal bridge project is set to break ground in July this year, this was announced by Davao del Norte Governor Edwin I. Jubahid on Saturday, February 29, 2020.
Jubahib in an interview with Newsline said the final engineering design of the P23-billion project is now being worked out “It plans pushes through. in July, we will break the ground to pave the way for the project and every is excited.”
The project suffered a delay as a landowner filed an opposition on the use of their property for the project.
Jubahib revealed that the lone holdout among the several families whose properties will be affected by the project has already agreed with the terms of expropriation offered by the government.
Island Garden City of Samal Mayor Al David Uy earlier 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.
The groundbreaking will be held simultaneously at Azuela Cove in Davao City and Barangay Caliclic in Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos)–the two points interconnecting the planned bridge.
Last month, Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte bared that the project had been delayed because one of the property owners threatened to file a writ of Kalikasan against the project.
A writ of Kalikasan is a legal remedy under Philippine law that provides protection of one’s constitutional right to a healthy environment.
Jubahib assured that the environment would be protected throughout the phases of the bridge construction.
“No corals will be affected and there will be no displacement among the affected families during the construction process,” he said.
“This is long-overdue and we thank this administration for giving it a chance. Our interest is for the people who are clamoring for this bridge,” he added.
With a length of about 2,830 meters, the mayor said the bridge would provide a vital link for trade and tourism for the island and mainland Davao City through reduced transport costs and faster flow of people, goods, and resources.
The bridge was conceptualized 40 years ago, but people of Davao region see the green light during the Duterte administration.-with PNA report
