THE Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC) has turned over its livelihood assistance to the fishermen in Cebu City and Municipality of Cordova, the firm’s partners in the construction of the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) project.
On Sept. 28, 2020, CCLEC turned over its livelihood assistance to the 18 fisherfolk organizations in Cordova.
The organizations, which are all members of Cordova’s Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC), received 18 marine engines and various materials and accessories for the building of 18 motor bancas.
Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho, who headed the turnover of the materials, thanked CCLEC for its support to the town’s fisherfolk sector.
Present also during the turnover were the officers of MFARMC and 18 fisherfolk organizations.
MFARMC President Eugenio Ventura thanked Cho and CCLEC for the aid extended to them.
He said the building of motor bancas will be finished in seven to 10 days.
Aid for Cebu City fishermen
Earlier, on Sept. 10, 2020, CCLEC turned over its livelihood assistance to the eight fisherfolk organizations in Cebu City.
The officers of the fishermen groups received sacks of rice for their “Bigasan ng Bayan” and marine engines in the presence of City Councilor Philip Zafra, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Agriculture, and City Agriculture Office Head Joelito Baclayon.
Six fisherfolk organizations received sacks of rice and other materials for the Bigasan ng Bayan. The beneficiaries were Panaghugpong sa mga Mananagat sa Dakbayan sa Sugbo, Pardohanon Pundok Kabus Mananagat, Panaghugpong Alang sa Sanag nga Ugma sa mga Lumulupyo, Alaska Fisherfolk Association, Pasil Fisherfolk Association, and Mambaliing Fisherfolk Association.
Two other fisherfolk organizations received several marine engines. These were Ermita Fisherfolk Association, and Lawis Target Beneficiaries Fisherfolk Association.
The livelihood assistance was given based on the project proposals submitted by the two local government units’ fishermen sector and endorsed by Mayors Cho and Labella. It is also covered by a memorandum of agreement entered into by CCLEC and the fishermen.
CCLEC’s livelihood assistance program “Panginabuhian Para Sa Kalamboan” is in line with the company’s Social Development Framework Plan and corporate social responsibility program for the CCLEX project that connects Cebu City to Cordova in Mactan Island.
CCLEC hopes that the livelihood assistance will help the fishermen in their recovery amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Joint venture
CCLEC is undertaking the CCLEX project under a joint venture agreement with the local government units of Cebu City and Cordova. CCLEX will connect mainland Cebu from Cebu City to the Municipality of Cordova in Mactan Island.
Set to be a new landmark in the country, the expressway will have two lanes in each direction that will provide a safe, quick and scenic passage to an estimated 50,000 vehicles daily, easing the traffic in the existing Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.
CCLEX has a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour and a navigational clearance or height of 51 meters so as to allow large vessels to pass underneath the bridge.
CCLEX is seen not only to reduce traffic and make traveling more convenient but also to spur trade activities and open greater economic opportunities for Cebu and the rest of the Visayas region.
CCLEC is a subsidiary company of MPTC, the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., a publicly listed infrastructure holding company and a member of the MVP Group of Companies.
MPTC is the largest toll road concessionaire and operator in the Philippines; its expansion goals include establishing toll operations in the Visayas, other parts of the Philippines, and in neighboring countries notably Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.