AN ENVIRONMENTAL group has criticized the Davao City Council's joint committee report regarding the Davao-Samal Bridge project, accusing the council of dismissing concerns about coral reef destruction in the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) by stating that the issue falls outside the city's jurisdiction.
In a statement to SunStar Davao, the Sustainable Davao Movement (SDM) expressed disappointment over the city council’s handling of concerns related to the Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project on September 17, 2024. This followed Councilor Temujin "Tek" Ocampo’s decision to close the discussion on the bridge’s environmental impact, including calls for its realignment and deferral of the project’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) approval by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Ocampo recommended that any issues be directed to the relevant government agencies or courts.
According to the committee’s consolidated report, concerns about the bridge’s impact on coral reefs, local ecosystems, and marine protected areas had been addressed. Documentation from relevant agencies reportedly certified compliance before the project’s commencement. Additionally, the destruction of coral reefs in Igacos was deemed outside Davao City’s jurisdiction.
"Given that the SIDC is a national infrastructure project involving two localities (Davao City and Samal) and crossing territorial boundaries, any specific environmental concerns should be escalated to the appropriate agencies," the report stated
Ocampo, in an interview, acknowledged the potential environmental impact, particularly on coral reefs, but said the DENR assured that any damage would be minimal and could be rehabilitated within a year.
'Utterly dismayed'
The SDM, a network of multi-sectoral environmental organizations, voiced its frustration with how the council dismissed concerns they raised as early as 2022. They accused national government agencies, such as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and DENR, of spreading misinformation, which the city council allegedly accepted without question.
Among their concerns, SDM highlighted that the bridge alignment violates Davao City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), as it encroaches on Barangay Hizon, part of the CLUP 2019-2028. They also pointed out that the project is within a protected area of Igacos, as confirmed by the Biodiversity Management Bureau in January 2023.
The group criticized the chosen bridge alignment, calling it a "poor alternative" to better-studied options. They also claimed that Davao stakeholders were not involved in the feasibility study, which took less than three months and was conducted during a workshop in Manila.
SDM underscored that the construction would lead to irreversible damage to Paradise Reef and its surrounding marine life, citing studies by marine biologists Dr. Filipina Sotto and Dr. John Michael Lacson.
In response, they labeled the city’s report as “false and misleading,” calling for full transparency and accountability in investigating the project's environmental impacts. The group urged the city government to establish an independent monitoring team to oversee the environmental damage and ensure compliance with local laws.
"At the end of the day, it is the people of Davao City (and Samal) and its environment who will suffer these ill-conceived projects entrusted to China companies blacklisted globally for anomalous undertakings," SDM stated.
Project overview
The SIDC is a crucial part of the Davao Regional Development Plan (DRDP) 2023-2028, approved by the Regional Development Council (RDC) and aligned with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and the Marcos Administration's eight-point socioeconomic agenda.
The four-lane, 3.98-kilometer bridge is expected to cost P23.04 billion and toll-free. It is funded through China’s Official Development Assistance, with completion targeted for 2027. The bridge will connect Samal Circumferential Road in Barangay Limao, Igacos, to Davao City between R. Castillo and the Daang Maharlika junction. RGL