Construction was initially scheduled to begin in July 2022 and completed in 2027. The DPWH has not yet released any statement regarding the start of construction
CLAIM: The construction of the Samal Island-Davao bridge project has started
RATING: FALSE
Facebook user Dhing Inferido Cubalan Jr. erroneously claimed that the construction of the Samal Island-Davao connector bridge has started.
His post, which showed photos of barricades and machines on a roadside and a poster of an artist’s rendition of the bridge, has received 728 reactions and has been shared over 3,200 times.
The caption read: “Dili na dyud ni drawing tinood na dyud ni nag start na Ang SAMAL BRIDGE PROJECT..” which translates to “This is real now. The SAMAL BRIDGE PROJECT has started.”
The claim that the construction of the bridge has commenced is false.
The website of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has not announced that the construction of the connector bridge has started.
There are also no press releases mentioning the commencement of the bridge’s construction on the websites of the government’s media organizations like the Philippine News Agency and the People’s Television Network.
Big-ticket infrastructure projects usually have ceremonial groundbreaking ceremonies. In 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Panguil Bay Bridge. The Communications Secretary’s website covered this event.
The Samal-Davao connector project is under Duterte’s “BUILD, BUILD, BUILD” program. The agreement for the project was signed in January 2021 under a P19.32-billion loan agreement with China. However, the project was postponed several times as funds had yet to be released.
The DPWH reported that the design and build of the bridge were signed on July 6, 2022, following the signing of the Framework Agreement and Loan Agreement on June 13, 2022.
“With an indicative cost of ₱23.039-billion, Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project is envisioned as a modern bridge that will connect the Samal Circumferential Road in Barangay Limao, the Island Garden City of Samal to Davao City in between R. Castillo-Daang Maharlika junction,” the DPWH said.
Construction was initially scheduled to begin in July 2022 and completed in 2027. The DPWH has not yet released any statement regarding the start of construction.
Meanwhile, the Department of Finance together with DPWH, agreed to hold joint meetings on the implementation of key infrastructure projects last Aug. 25.
The meeting tackled a review of flagship infrastructure projects funded by official development assistance. One of the projects under review was the Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project. —Andrei Duran
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