Editorial: Dust in the wind

Editorial: Dust in the wind

THE bridge that will supposedly connect the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) and Davao City had been in the news since the 70s.

For several decades, the project had been delayed for different reasons, much to the disappointment and further anticipation of the residents of the two cities. But hopes were up again when in November last year, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)-Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) approved a P23.04 billion budget for the construction of the bridge through the Official Development Assistance (ODA). Aside from that, reports said the design of the bridge had also been up for approval.

But this project had been a rollercoaster experience for the everyone affected since the 70s and so on yesterday's news, it was reported that a specific land owner in Igacos opposes the project as their property will be affected by the construction.

The family plans to file "Writ of Kalikasan," a legal weapon they can apparently use against the government who intend to pursue an infrastructure project on a private property. With this, another delay of the bridge construction is expected.

When the news was published online, many residents of Igacos reacted saying this new reason for the delay is just an alibi, a pathetic excuse. Because they have been waiting for the bridge for some time now, they believe for themselves that this is a "Game of the Oligarchs." Many of the Igacos residents favor the Samal-Davao bridge because of the travel convenience and the time they would save in crossing both cities.

But the continuous interruption led people to speculate that these people opposing are only doing so for their own good and nothing more. They come from influential families who may have the power to prolong and further delay the project. In the comments section, a netizen from Samal who goes by the name of Rissa Mar says: "It's those who owns the barge and their high profile cahoots who receive payola in exchange of keeping the barge monopoly. People living in Igacos should plan a peaceful protest (with the help of the mayor's office) to the city government of Davao and demand for the bridge to go ahead. It's the only way to show these oligarchs what Igacos residents want."

But there is another face to the issue. People may talk about the travel convenience and the additional influx of tourists or even the economic advantage and disadvantage of the bridge but very few will talk about how this will impact the marine life between Samal and Davao City. The construction may have been well-planned so as to not destroy marine habitats, but the months and perhaps years of construction itself is detrimental and may disturb the currently peaceful marine life. But that's another face of the issue altogether.

With a project as big as the Davao-Samal bridge, which had been delayed for so long, it's no shock to read speculations and opinions like this. After all, with influential people and the government involved as decision makers, ordinary citizens' voices sometimes come out like dust in the wind no matter how long they clamor for the bridge to be materialized.

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