THE Regional Development Council (RDC)-Davao is pushing for the realization of the Davao-Samal Bridge, one of the region’s priority infrastructure projects, seen as crucial support to tourism and services sectors, the region's major growth drivers.
In a press conference after his State of the Region Address (Sora) at the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)-RDC Conference Hall in Bangkal, Davao City, RDC outgoing chair Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo Del Rosario said that the bridge will spur tourism development especially for Samal Island in Davao del Norte and will solve traffic woes in the northern part of the city wherein industrial zones are located.
“We continue to lobby for the realization of the Davao-Samal Bridge, one of the big ticket projects that is yet to be implemented, this is our priority as it will enable further the Samal Island as a tourist destination and will address the traffic problems in the city (which is expected to worsen for the next coming years if left unattended),” he said.
RDC-Davao vice-chairperson and Neda-Davao director, Maria Lourdes Lim, for her part said that as to the status of the proposed bridge, its pre-feasibility study was already done last September 2015.
“The pre-feasibility study was already completed. At present, the detailed engineering design is underway,” she said. The detailed engineering design is expected to be completed within this year.
The pre-feasibility study was conducted by Katahira and Engineers International (KEI), a Japan-based civil engineering consultancy firm.
The pre-feasibility study is a preliminary research of a project that will determine if it is up for a feasibility study stage.
"The pre-feasibility study entails the determination of routes, what structure to propose, economic benefits, traffic concerns, among others," Mariano Alquiza, Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao director said in a recent report.
He added that the study will identify the best route of the eight possible routes where the bridge will be constructed. The Japanese consultants are eyeing on two possible routes where the bridge will be constructed, one of it is the route which is from the Km. 9 in Sasa to Babak District, Samal.
Aside from the bridge, the RDC-Davao will also be pushing for the Talikud Island development, Sta. Ana Wharf development, modernization of Sasa Port with condition of revisiting the project proposal, modernization of Davao International Airport, Davao Bypass Construction Project, Davao Food Exchange Complex and the Mindanao Railway System.
“We are bullish now that these major projects will be realized as the incoming administration will be led by someone who is from Mindanao, particularly in Davao Region,” Del Rosario said.
“It now about time Mindanao will have an opportunity for further development because for the past several years Mindanao has been left behind in terms of prioritization of projects and budget allocation,” he added.
Del Rosario is also rooting on the move for federalism as it is seen pave way for Mindanao to get equitable share of the resources of the national government.
“It needed to be decentralized, it should not be focused only in Metro Manila or National Capital Region (NCR),”he said.
Further, RDC-Davao will also be pushing for the implementation of the Davao Region Industry Cluster Roadmaps 2014-2030, proposed economic zones, and policy implementation of the two recently-signed game-changing legislations, the amended Cabotage Law and the Philippine Competition Act.