Construction of Third Cebu-Mactan Bridge to Start in Q1 2016

The construction of the third bridge linking Cebu mainland to Mactan Island will start in the first quarter of next year, an official said.

Cordova, Cebu Mayor Adelino Sitoy said they are hopeful the construction of the bridge will start by February 2016.

The groundbreaking for the third bridge was held last January yet and construction was supposed to begin after three months, but project proponent Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), still has to finalize some project details.

MPTC offered to build and operate the toll bridge in a joint venture with the Cordova Municipal Government and Cebu City Government under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.

The proposed bridge will span eight kilometers from the mouth of the Guadalupe River in Cebu City to Shell Island and then Cordova town.

Cebu City Administrator Lucelle Mercado said the cost of the third Mactan-Cebu bridge rose to PHP27 billion from PHP17 billion.

Ramoncito Fernandez, MPTC president, said the cost estimate of the project rose because of capitalized interest and inflation adjustment from 2014 to 2015 and 2016 prices.

Fernandez said the MPTC is in the final stage of completing the draft 35-year concession agreement with the local government units of Cordova town and Cebu City which will get one percent each of gross sales.

Sitoy said the project will be presented this month for a Swiss challenge in which the government publishes details of the bid and invites third parties to match or exceed the offer of the original proponent.

The proponent of the unsolicited bid, MPTC, has the option to match the most competitive bid.

Sitoy said the project does not need President Benigno C. Aquino III’s approval because both Cordova and Cebu City have PPP ordinances. (PNA) FFC/EB/EDS