Third Mactan-Cebu Bridge to Start Construction

Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer Adelino Sitoy said the construction of the P27.9 billion Cebu Cordova Bridge Infrastructure Project will jump-start this month after the scheduled awarding of contract among two foreign contractors.

“Ang target this month i-award to the most qualified bidder, so the better qualified nilang duha,” said Sitoy referring to a Spanish and a Korean-based contractor. However, he did not disclose the full name of the company.

Sitoy visited Capitol late last week to grace a public forum on Federalism.

During the forum, he presented updates to Governor Hilario P. Davide III on the third Cebu-Mactan link that will be open to motorists in three to four years.

According to Sitoy, slight adjustments will be incorporated in the construction design in order to avoid damages on mangroves and fish habitats.

The design will follow an “S” shape stretched along the bridge’s 8.25 kilometer span.

The bridge will be built through built-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme with Metro Pacific Tollways and Development Corporation (MPIDC) as its financier.

At present there are two bridges connecting Cebu mainland to Mactan Island.

First is the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge and second is the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. The third will connect Cebu City to Mactan Island through the town of Cordova.

“Third bridge will start from South Road Properties viaduct to the vicinity of Shell Island. From Shell will be a causeway to Barangay Bangbang in Cordova, then to Barangay Pilipog,” said Sitoy.

“We will have a government counterpart, which I already submitted to Sec. (Mark) Villar ang first priority, access way from Pilipog bridge to Gabi bridge,” said Sitoy.

The opening of a new 40-meter wide road from Pilipog bridge, on Cordova’s west side, to Gabi bridge on the town’s east side will enable tourists to reach beach resort in Lapu-Lapu City, without entering Cordova town.

Cordova mayor Techie Sitoy-Cho said the Cebu-Cordova Bridge will also bring his town closer to Cebu City as they will no longer pass through Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue cities.

Town folks will have more job opportunity in the city and more guests will visit their tourist destinations, she said.

DPWH’s subcontracted survey revealed that there is an estimated 36,000 to 41,000 vehicles that will pass by this bridge once it is done.

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