THE National Economic Development Authority-Davao Region (Neda-Davao) has issued a clarification regarding the Samal-Davao bridge project, refuting unverified claims by the regional economic director, Maria Lourdes D. Lim. 

Contrary to reports suggesting a temporary halt, Neda-Davao clarified in a statement released on Thursday morning, February 1, 2024, that only the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) for the Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project was suspended in January 2023, not the entire project.

The statement highlighted that the DED suspension, effective January 3, 2023, was due to Right-of-Way (ROW) acquisition challenges concerning two to three properties in Davao's Lanang area. 

However, the Department of Public Works and Highways-SIDC (DPWH-SIDC) Project Management Office indicated that the lifting of the DED suspension is expected in February.

During the Davao Region's 2023 Socioeconomic Performance and 2024 Development Council press conference on January 30, Lim announced the suspension of the toll-free four-lane SIDC project with no defined timeline for resumption due to ROW acquisition challenges. 

“Once the Deed of [Transfer] Possession in Davao City shall be released, the detailed engineering plans for the substructure of the west land via dock is expected to be completed and approved, such that the construction may be pursued accordingly," she said.

Later on the same day, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Secretary Leo Tesoro Magno, refuted Lim's information, a stance echoed by DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain. Magno affirmed the project's status as a major priority infrastructure flagship project under the eight-point socio-economic Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2023-2028 of the Marcos Jr. administration. DEF

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