Work on the PHP23 billion Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project continues and is scheduled for completion by 2027, according to the Department of Public Works and Highway in Davao Region (DPWH-11).
According to Director Juby Cordon of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao Region (DPWH-Davao), the agency's Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) has completed the design and construction.
Her presentation indicates that just 3.487 percent of the total weighted physical accomplishment has been credited to the bridge project.
Far from done
Regarding the project, Cordon stated that "they are finished with the design and at 3 percent" after beginning in September 2022.
She underlined that the UPMO simply gives DPWH-Davao updates through their submitted report, and that they have no control over how the project is implemented.
According to Cordon, the organization remains optimistic in the initial target of August 2027 as its completion date.
The Samal Circumferential Road in Barangay Limao, Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS), and Davao City along the R would serve as landing sites for the picturesque bridge project that spans the Pakiputan Strait. Junction of Castillo-Daang Maharlika.
“Going smoothly”
The project is moving "smoothly" in spite of the pending expropriation cases on the Davao City side of the project, according to DPWH-11 spokesperson Dean Ortiz.
“As for right of way, we are going smoothly. For the road right of way, around 25 percent or 14 of 55 affected lots in Davao City under negotiated sale were acquired while under expropriation cases, four out of six lots on the Davao side and 100 percent on the Samal side were expropriated,” Ortiz said.
The 3.9-kilometer SIDC bridge features ramps in Davao City, a grade road with a width of 24 meters, and a roundabout at the Samal circumferential route.
When finished, the bridge will have a vertical navigational clearance of up to 47 meters and be a famous, four-lane, cable-stayed structure.
