CEBU City Councilor Sisinio Andales has criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its contractor for failing to finish the P13.89-million Sanciangko Bridge which was supposed to be completed by May 2025.
Andales said the prolonged delay in the construction of Sanciangko Bridge is a “glaring failure of accountability and transparency” that has disrupted daily life for thousands of residents and businesses in the city.
In a privilege speech delivered on Tuesday, Nov. 18, Andales raised alarm over the stalled 50-meter bridge project, saying the DPWH and its contractor have failed to deliver on their promise to complete the structure.
The bridge was demolished and closed since Aug. 6, 2024, when Andales was still barangay captain of Pahina Central.
Its reconstruction was supposed to ease connectivity between downtown Cebu, V. Rama Ave., N. Bacalso Ave., and C. Padilla St.
Instead, he said, the project has turned into “a bridge near yet too far,” leaving three barangays, Pahina Central, Pahina San Nicolas, and San Nicolas Proper, bearing the brunt of the inconvenience.
Andales said a temporary footbridge connecting San Nicolas Proper and Pahina Central was also destroyed by typhoon Tino, further limiting the residents’ mobility.
The P13.89-million Sanciangko Bridge project was awarded by the DPWH Cebu City District Engineering Office to Power Frame Construction and Development Corp., with the contract signed on Nov. 3, 2023.
More than two years later, Andales said the site remains marked by “idle equipment and stagnant progress.”
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival visited the construction area last Oct. 24 and reportedly expressed dismay over the contractor’s inactivity.
He also raised concerns that the contractor’s filling of more than half of the river’s width may have contributed to the severe flooding during typhoon Tino, when some residents reported water rising to their rooftops.
Andales, whose home was also flooded, acknowledged challenges such as clearing informal settlers, relocating utility poles, and securing permits from the City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission.
However, he stressed that these “do not excuse the lack of transparency or urgency” from DPWH and its contractor.
“Where is the DPWH in all of this fiasco? Why has there been no comprehensive update? Why has the contractor not been held to account?” Andales asked.
He urged the City Council to take immediate action by holding an executive session to summon DPWH and Power Frame Construction officials to demand a clear completion timeline, a transparent project status report, and measures to mitigate flooding risks.
“The people of Cebu deserve better. The Sanciangko Bridge must rise again, stronger, safer, and without further delay,” he said. / CAV