OLANGO Island, Lapu-Lapu City will be reached by land instead of by sea when a ramp is connected to a Cordova, Cebu-Getafe, Bohol bridge now being proposed.

This segment is included in the “Build, Build, Build” project of President Rodrigo Duterte, but there is no feasibility study since an investor has yet to be identified, said Secretary Adelino Sitoy of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.

Three foreign companies are applying to finance it, Sitoy said, adding that they will tie up with Visayas Neceboley Interlink Holdings Corp., which proposed bridges to link Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol and Leyte.

After Duterte won as president in 2016, Boy Veloso, Neceboley Corp. chairman, submitted a proposal to build four bridges that will link the four provinces. Duterte referred the matter to Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.

Veloso said that since the Cordova-Getafe Bridge will pass Olango Island, they will construct a ramp to connect Olango to the bridge.

Once the “winning” foreign company will finalize its partnership with Neceboley Corp., these bridges will be realized during Duterte’s administration, he said.

Meanwhile, Sitoy told SunStar Cebu that the original proposal was to bypass Olango. But planners had a change of heart, considering Olango is home to 10 barangays.

“If this will push through, it will be easy for me to facilitate in making Olango Island a municipality, separate from Lapu-Lapu City,” he said.

Sitoy said the length of the Cordova-Getafe Bridge has been extended from 17 to 27 kilometers because it will pass islets. The islets can be promoted for tourism, he said.

Sitoy maintained that once the Cordova-Getafe Bridge is realized, he will encourage all informal settlers in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova who are employed at the Mactan Economic Zone and other companies in Mactan Island to buy land in Bohol, where it is cheaper. (EOB)