3rd bridge landing at river will move more residents

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City legislators are opposing the construction of the foot of the planned Cebu – Cordova bridge at the opening of the Guadalupe River between Barangays Ermita and Pasil.

In a resolution, the City Council said doing so would affect dwellers at the area greatly.

“RESOLVED, as it HEREBY RESOLVED, to OBJECT the construction of the CEBU-CORDOVA BRIDGE at the opening /mouth of Guadalupe River, located between Barangay Ermita and Pasil,” the resolution reads.

On August 24, lawyer Aristotle Batuhan, counsel of Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corporation told the Council that at least 147 lots in the area will be affected by the project, based on the initial result of the parcillary survey.

Of these lots, 75 are privately owned and 55 are public lands. The ownership of 17 others is yet to be determined.

Barangay Pasil earlier issued a resolution "defying the proposed construction of Third Bridge between Cebu City and the Municipality of Cordova that traverses perpendicular along Guadalupe River.”

"To overview, the proposed project displaced mostly of our residents along the Guadalupe River, hence a proposed 7.5 meter-road right of way, along the river is to be constructed. Likewise, we believe that the project creates a hazard to our community," the resolution reads.

The areas affected include Sitios Lawis, Lawis Riverside, Concepcoon Riverside, Tikaban Riverside.

As far as residents getting displaced are concerned, Batuhan had said they will abide by the decision of Cordova and Cebu City. 

On the side of Cebu City, the bridge will have two access points – at the South Road Properties (SRP) and at the opening of the mouth of the Guadalupe River.

Alongside its opposition, the City Council is also proposing for bicycle lanes at the 8.25-kilometer bridge.

The Council made the proposal through a resolution penned by Councilor Eugenio Gabuya, deputy mayor on urban poor and housing.

Gabuya’s move is pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991 mandating the legislative body to regulate the use of streets, alleys, avenues, sidewalks and bridges.

A copy of the resolution has been furnished to Cordova Mayor Teche Sitoy- Cho and MPTDC.

The third bridge project is estimated to cost up to P2 billion. The construction will start in the middle of 2017 and is expected to finish by middle of 2020.

For now, necessary paperwork is being processed, including the approval of the National Toll Regulatory Board, Philippine Reclamation Authority and Environmental Compliance Certificate from the Department of Environment Resources.

The said project had already secured the pertinent approval from Cebu Port Authority, Philippine Coast Guard Authority for the main structure vertical clearance of the project; and Department of Public Works and Highways. (FREEMAN)