CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival announced that the completion of the bridge in Barangay Pulangbato has been delayed again due to ongoing construction challenges and difficult site conditions.
The project, originally targeted for completion in December 2025, has faced setbacks caused by heavy rains, typhoons, and the 2025 Cebu earthquake, prompting the contractor to request additional time.
Archival warned that further delays could severely affect water delivery to upland communities during the coming dry season.
“The problem is that if within the next six months we still don’t have the bridge, summer will be approaching. If people in the upland areas run out of water and we need to send water trucks there, it will be difficult to navigate the river without the bridge,” he said.
He added that the City Government continues to monitor the project’s progress and is coordinating with the contractor to address issues and ensure completion.
Archival said the contractor is expected to pour concrete for the bridge structure on Friday, March 20, although the City has yet to confirm if the schedule will push through.
He explained that while government contracts specify a fixed timeframe, contractors may avoid penalties for delays if they file for a suspension of work due to valid reasons, such as weather disturbances.
City engineers evaluate such requests, and if approved, the project timeline is extended accordingly.
Incomplete requirements
Archival also noted that some issues stemmed from the project’s awarding stage, when certain requirements had not yet been completed. He said the contract was awarded despite the absence of a road right-of-way, property owners’ consent, and a building permit.
As a result, construction could not begin immediately.
He said the City Government is now reviewing its procedures to ensure that all requirements, especially those that must be secured by the City, are completed before awarding future projects.
Archival expressed hope that the Pulangbato Bridge, now valued at P27 million and contracted to SJ Bonifacio Builders, will be completed before the end of 2026.
The project was originally started in 2023 under a P24-million contract awarded to SBD Builders Inc.
However, despite a 60-day extension that moved the deadline to September 30, 2024, the contractor completed only 36.02 percent of the project.
Barangay Pulangbato officials said SBD Builders lacked sufficient equipment, resulting in a negative slippage of 63.98 percent.
Due to the delays, the barangay declared a state of emergency in October 2024, prompting the City Council to terminate the contract over poor performance.
Before the contract was terminated, the City had already released about P7 million as down payment.
Once completed, the Pulangbato Bridge is expected to serve as a vital link connecting Pulangbato to upland villages such as Sirao, Guba, and Agsungot, improving access to and from downtown Cebu City. / CAV