The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will pursue the Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project, the first first loan agreement of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China for an infrastructure project.
On Wednesday, July 6, the project was launched by visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi; Ambassador Huang Xilian of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines; DFA Secretary Enrique A. Manalo; and DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan and Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain.
The Samal Island-Davao City Connector is flagship project under the Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration and will be funded by Official Development Assistance (ODA) from China.
DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan said the 3.98 kilometers connector bridge is toll-free and will have four lanes, adding that its implementation will be started this year 2022 and targetted for completion by 2027.
"It is all systems go for the design and build of Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project. Once completed, this will connect in just five minutes the beautiful Island Garden City of Samal and the highly urbanized Davao City," said Bonoan.
"This means faster travel time, less traffic gridlock and improved productivity affecting around 25,000 vehicles traversing these areas on a daily basis," he added.
The project costs ₱23.039-billion and is envisioned as a modern bridge that will connect the Samal Circumferential Road in Barangay Limao, Island Garden City of Samal to Davao City in between R. Castillo-Daang Maharlika junction.
Crossing over Pakiputan Strait, Samal Island-Davao City Connector has a width of 24 meters and a vertical navigational clearance up to 47 meters and will also be supported by two pylons with a height of 73 meters.
For his part, Sadain, in-charge of DPWH UPMO Operations, said the bilateral relations between the Philippines and China have significantly grown especially with the completion of the two China-grant bridges namely Estrella-Pantaleon and Binondo-Intramuros Bridges which has become a landmark tourist attraction because of their aesthetic and iconic design.