A P24.81 BILLION skyway that aims to reduce traffic congestion and boost the city’s economy will rise in Lapu-Lapu City, once the local legislature acts on it.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said the Lapu-Lapu Expressway or LLEX can boost the economy not only of the city but also of the entire province of Cebu.
Chan said this would be the first skyway in the country outside of Metro Manila.
With the skyway, travel from the airport in Lapu-Lapu City to the South Road Properties in Cebu City would take only seven minutes, he said.
The project is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiated by three construction firms, namely Premium Megastructures Inc., Ulticon Builders Inc. and MTD Philippines.
Chan said the only requirement needed for the project to proceed is a resolution coming from the City Council to give him authority to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the private consortium.
However, Chan is worried that the project might be delayed because of political reasons since it will bestow credit on his administration.
“I hope the city council will approve. I heard nga dunay (there is a) marching order from their party leader nga pababagan (to block it),” said Chan.
According to Chan, the opposition could not ask for more since the project is income generating, can solve the city’s traffic problem, and there is no cost to the local government since it will be constructed under a PPP arrangement.
The city council will have its deliberation on Thursday, Dec. 9, and the mayor is hopeful that the councilors will vote independently for the project to proceed.
“I am sure nga ipatigbabaw nila ang kaayuhan sa kinatibuk-an, not only for one person nga mo dictate nila,” Chan said. (I am sure they will put the good of all above the dictates of only one person.)
The 12-kilometer skyway will start in Barangay Babag 2 and will pass through Barangays Basak, Buaya and Ibo and will end at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
Chan said construction of the LLEX will take less than a year to complete.