THE Samal Island–Davao City Connector (SIDC) Project has reached 53.473 percent actual accomplishment and is expected to be completed by September 2028.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), citing a report from the Philippine Information Agency–Davao Region (PIA-Davao), said the project is ahead of schedule, posting a positive slippage of 3.936 percent over the planned 49.536 percent completion rate.
The project remains economically viable. Using a 9 percent discount rate, it posted a Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) of 2.57 and an Economic Internal Rate of Return (EIRR) of 15.67 percent. Even with a 20 percent increase in capital costs, it still delivers a BCR of 1.85 and an EIRR of 14.29 percent.
PIA-Davao said tourism gains could further boost returns, pushing the EIRR to as high as 17.38 percent.
DPWH moved the completion date from Aug. 30, 2027, to September 2028 and may extend it to September 2030 due to potential funding constraints. The agency said the project needs about ₱4.69 billion for 2026 and warned that work could be suspended by May 30, 2026, if funds fall short.
The SIDC is a toll-free, four-lane extradosed bridge spanning 4.76 kilometers. It will link R. Castillo–Daang Maharlika in Davao City to the Samal Circumferential Road. The bridge features a 275-meter main span, a 47-meter vertical clearance for marine traffic, and a 1.62-kilometer marine section supported by 73-meter-high pylons. It also includes roundabouts, ramps, and approach roads.
Once completed, the bridge will cut travel time between Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal from 30 to 50 minutes to about five minutes, boosting trade and tourism.
The project faces legal challenges. The Supreme Court issued a Writ of Kalikasan on July 1, directing DPWH, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Samal Island Protected Landscape and Seascape Protected Area Management Board, and China Road and Bridge Corp. to respond within 10 days. The Court also referred the request for a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) to the Court of Appeals in Cagayan de Oro.
On June 10, 2025, the Court of Appeals denied the request to halt construction. RGP