THE Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) said the Duterte administration is hoping to finalize funding and details of the loan agreement for the Davao-Samal bridge project before June 30 in hopes to formally start its construction.
In a virtual press conference on Thursday, February 17, MinDA Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro said there have been some delays with the progress of the loan agreement for the Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project (Davao-Samal bridge) despite the ongoing negotiations between the Philippine government, through the Department of Finance, and their Chinese counterparts.
But Montenegro said they are still unaware of the specifics surrounding its delay.
Based on the statement of Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office Operations Emil K. Sadain on February 10, 2022, they are still waiting for the signing of the framework agreement between the DOF and China Eximbank for the project's financing. After the framework agreement is signed, it will be followed by the signing of the loan agreement.
Montenegro said the delays in the loan agreement may have also affected other areas in the construction and development of the bridge.
“Based on the monitoring... while the Davao side has been progressing well particularly in terms of notice of taking issuances, ang Samal side ang wala pa (the Samal side has not) because this will have to be anchored on the finalization of the loan agreement between the Philippines, particularly the Department of Finance, and the China counterpart,” Montenegro said.
He added that once the agreement is firmed up and signed, this will already “set into motion all other specific activities needed to be undertaken to start the bridge.”
“The current administration is hoping to pursue in terms of finalizing specific details so we still have now and between June 30 before the end of the current administration,” Montenegro said.
MinDA Secretary Mabel Sunga Acosta assured the work have continued for Davao-Samal bridge despite encountering other setbacks because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is still in the works and hopefully, this will be taken up also by the next administration,” Acosta said.
Meanwhile, Minda officials assured that the bridge will be pushed as a priority project in Mindanao when the next administration comes in.
“Kahit man mag palit ng administration (Even with the succession of the new administration), definitely the negotiation for these projects will be pursued,” Montenegro said.
Earlier, Sadain said the Davao-Samal Bridge construction is targeted to commence in the second quarter of 2022 and will be completed in 2026.
“We're looking at within the year, probably this second quarter. We can have the project loan. Since this is a design and build contract, the design could go for about a year, and the civil work construction would be four and a half years,” Sadain said.
The said connector project has a total indicative cost of P23.04 billion.