Lapu-Lapu Mayor Wants First Mandaue-Mactan Bridge Repair Deferred After 51st IEC

Lapu-Lapu City (PNA) — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza wants the PHP129.6-million repair of the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge deferred until after the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in January.

Radaza expressed worry over the repair, saying it may cause monstrous traffic in Lapu-Lapu City during the IEC, which includes a gathering of youth in Lapu-Lapu City.

“I hope it can be delayed. The work takes time and there are a lot of events lined up next year,” she said.

But her counterpart on the other side of the bridge, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, had given the go-signal for the repair of the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.

Cortes earlier requested that the bridge repair be started after the IEC and Sinulog festivities in January.

But he later gave permission for the project to start, saying the bridge repair is vital.

The project, to be completed after 11 months, was supposed to start in August, but it was moved because of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meetings in Cebu.

Radaza said she will meet with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 to discuss the possibility of further delaying the repair.

The work includes replacing the expansion joints, reinforcing the steel, application of anti-corrosive paint, replacing the drain pipes, as well as removing damaged asphalt and rehabilitating the access road on Mandaue City’s side.

Jegma Contruction, the contractor hired by DPWH 7, earlier planned to start the repair before November ends, but it had yet to get permission from the Lapu-Lapu City Government to start. (PNA) LAP/EB/EDS