PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has committed to the people of Davao and Samal that the long-awaited Samal Island–Davao City Connector (SIDC) Bridge will be completed before the end of his administration, according to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon.
Dizon made the assurance during a press briefing on Thursday, July 23, following his inspection of a collapsed road section of Davao-Bukidnon Highway in Barangay Marahan, Marilog District. He said the President remains determined to deliver the flagship infrastructure project before May 2028 despite earlier delays caused by right-of-way issues and funding constraints.
“I am assuring the people of Davao, the people of Samal that we will finish it before the end of the President's term. That is the commitment of the President to the people of Davao and Samal,” Dizon said.
The DPWH chief said the project had initially been projected for completion by the end of 2028 because of prolonged right-of-way acquisition problems. However, after discussions with project engineers, he expressed confidence that construction could be accelerated and finished before President Marcos steps down from office.
“I am confident na yung Davao-Samal Bridge, matatapos at madadaanan yan bago matapos ang termino ng ating Pangulong BBM. Originally, ang delay kasi niyan dahil sa right-of-way, dahil sa maraming delay. Initially, ang sinabi nila sa akin baka end of 2028 pa matatapos. We are confident now na kinausap na natin yung mga engineers natin kaya 'yan matapos before the end of term ni PBBM,” he added.
The assurance comes despite a significant reduction in this year's national funding for the project. While the DPWH-Davao Region had proposed a ₱4.87-billion allocation for the bridge under the National Expenditure Program (NEP), only ₱314 million was approved under the final General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Regional public works officials, however, said they have already requested supplemental funding from the national government to ensure that construction activities continue without major delays.
As of July 2026, the ₱20-billion SIDC project has reached 61.33 percent completion, according to DPWH. Earlier on Thursday, Dizon conducted an aerial inspection of the ongoing construction works.
The SIDC is a 4.7-kilometer, four-lane cable-stayed bridge spanning the Pakiputan Strait, linking Davao City with the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos). Once completed, it is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two areas, improve the movement of goods and people, and boost tourism and economic activity across the Davao Gulf.
The bridge is one of the Marcos administration's flagship infrastructure projects and is being financed through official development assistance from China.
Although construction only began in recent years, the idea of building a fixed link between Davao City and Samal Island has been discussed for decades. Early proposals and feasibility discussions date back to the late 1970s, with one of the earliest recorded reports on the project appearing in Davao's oldest newspaper in January 1979. The bridge has since undergone several administrations before finally moving into full-scale construction. DEF
