
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced that the Samal Island–Davao City Connector (SIDC) Bridge is now 38 percent complete as of June 27, 2025.
DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, who oversees the agency’s infrastructure flagship projects, reported that the bridge construction has exceeded its target completion rate of 16 percent, marking a positive slippage of 22 percent.
“With construction well ahead of schedule, the SIDC Bridge is on track to become a vital infrastructure link that will strengthen inter-island connectivity and catalyze long-term development in Mindanao,” the DPWH stated on June 28.
Significant progress has been made in key structural works. Bored piling for the navigation bridge has been completed on both the Davao and Samal sides. Seal concrete installation for the navigation portion is also finished on both ends.
On the Davao side, 11 of the 26 land viaduct pile caps are done. On the Samal side, five out of 16 pile caps have been completed.
Preparatory works are also ongoing, including road widening along Daang Maharlika in Davao City, where fencing has been installed and structures cleared. Davao Light and Power Company has completed the installation of power distribution lines and is now awaiting energization.
Regarding the Road Right of Way (RROW), 61 of the 69 required lots (88%) in Davao City and Samal Island have been acquired. Of the 51 affected structures, 22 (43%) have been secured, with the rest still under negotiation or acquisition.
However, the project continues to face environmental concerns. On April 21, 2025, residents, environmental groups, and community organizations filed a Writ of Kalikasan before the Supreme Court, seeking to halt construction activities that allegedly threaten two key coral ecosystems: Paradise Reef in Samal and the Hizon Marine Protected Area in Davao City. The petitioners clarified that they support the bridge project but are calling for its realignment to protect marine biodiversity.
The SIDC project is funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the People’s Republic of China and is being implemented by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office–Bridges Management Cluster (UPMO-BMC), with China Road and Bridge Corporation as the contractor.
Once completed, the SIDC will be a toll-free, four-lane extradosed bridge stretching 4.76 kilometers from R. Castillo–Daang Maharlika in Davao City to the Samal Circumferential Road. It will feature a 275-meter main span, a 47-meter vertical clearance for marine traffic, and a 1.62-kilometer marine crossing supported by two 73-meter-high pylons. The project also includes roundabouts, ramps, and approach roads.
The bridge is expected to cut travel time between Davao City and Samal Island, improve regional mobility, promote tourism, and drive economic growth across the Davao Region. RGP