VICE President Sara Duterte credited former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) for the completion of the Bucana Bridge, following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s inspection of the infrastructure.
“Nagpapasalamt kami kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte dahlia hindi siya tumigil sa paghahanap ng pondo para doon sa tulip at syempre nagpapasalamat tayo sa People’s Republic of China (We are thankful to President Rodrigo Duterte because he did not stop looking for funds for that bridge, and of course, we are also thankful to the People’s Republic of China),” Sara said in a media interview in The Hague, Netherlands.
Sara said that with the bridge now completed, people should acknowledge FPRRD’s role.
“As a Dabawenya, and even for the people of Mindanao, we should express gratitude because we will greatly benefit from this,” she added.
The Vice President emphasized the bridge’s strategic importance, noting that it connects the southern and northern parts of Davao City. She said the Davao Coastal Road cannot be completed unless it crosses the Bankerohan River.
She also thanked China for funding the entire project, noting that neither the City Government of Davao nor the Philippine Government spent a peso on the bridge. Sara recalled that during her time as mayor, the Coastal Road had secured funding, but the Bucana Bridge still had none. FPRRD, knowing that the Bucana Bridge project was unfunded, found ways to secure funding. Once he obtained the funds, FPRRD initiated negotiations, planning, and paperwork, according to Sara.
'One of 4 legacies?'
President Marcos visited the site on December 4, 2025, to inspect the bridge, describing it as part of his administration’s Build Better More (BBM) program, the successor to FPRRD’s Build, Build, Build (BBB) program.
“This is one of the four major projects, our legacy projects, that we will be finishing in Davao and its environs. Marami na tayong nabuksan na section dito. And this will now be another major part of this bypass road (We have already opened many sections here, and this will now become another major part of the bypass road),” Marcos said, praising the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation for completing the project on time.
Commenting on Marcos’ statement, Sara reiterated her gratitude to FPRRD, saying he understood the challenge she faced as mayor: the Coastal Road had funding, but the Bucana Bridge did not.
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Leo Tereso Magno clarified on December 5, 2025, that the President’s visit was part of his duty to oversee national infrastructure projects. He said the visit highlighted the engineering achievement of the project and acknowledged Chinese contractors, stressing its potential to boost economic development across Mindanao.
Boost economic growth
The bridge, part of a ₱3.126-billion infrastructure grant from China, was agreed upon during FPRRD’s state visit to China in 2017. The four-lane, six-span extradosed structure stretches 480 meters, complemented by 860 meters of approach roads. Built to international standards, it will cut travel time between the city’s eastern and western coastal barangays from about 1.5 hours to 20–25 minutes.
The bridge forms a crucial component of the Davao City Coastal Bypass Road Project (DCCBRP), a multi-phase initiative aimed at improving mobility, reducing travel time, and enhancing economic activity by linking the city’s eastern and western areas.
The Bucana Bridge will carry around 35,000 vehicles a day and help ease chronic traffic congestion in downtown Davao City. Marcos said it will open to motorists on December 15.
RGP