A P14.6 million pedestrian skywalk meant to give children, workers and senior citizens a safe way to cross the road in Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City has been stalled for more than a year.
The project, which sits near Ibo Elementary School, shows only a foundation and an unused steel truss despite a completion target of late 2024.
Why it matters
The unfinished skywalk stands at a busy crossing where trucks and factory vehicles regularly pass. For residents like Erlinda, a 64-year-old fruit vendor, it is a daily hazard.
“We are old and shouldn’t be crossing the streets. We might get run over,” she said in Cebuano, adding that children are also at risk.
Jerry Zuesola, a barangay public safety officer, said the skywalk will reduce risks for children who often ignore pedestrian lanes.
What caused the delay
According to Daffodil Jugan, information officer of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Cebu 6th District Engineering Office, construction was blocked by informal settlers occupying parts of the site and by high-tension wires owned by Mactan Electric Company (Meco). Both made it unsafe to continue.
Former congresswoman and now Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” Chan explained that rerouting the power lines was not part of the original budget or the General Appropriations Act. After weeks of back-and-forth, Meco agreed to reduce the rerouting cost from P500,000 to P325,000. The contractor, GSixty Construction Services, finally settled the payment on Aug. 26, 2025.
What’s next
Meco is scheduled to relocate a power post on Sept. 6. Once this is completed, work on the steel pedestrian overpass can resume during early-morning hours on Sept. 8.
Big picture
What was supposed to be a 188-day project has stretched into more than a year, frustrating residents who face daily dangers at the crossing. With the power line issue now settled, the community hopes the long-delayed skywalk will finally be finished and provide the safety it promised.
This case also shows how urban infrastructure projects in the Philippines can be derailed by overlapping issues: informal housing, utility coordination and gaps in project budgeting. Each delay not only wastes public funds but also prolongs risks for the most vulnerable — children and older adults who depend on safer crossings. / DPC