Sample picture of the artist’s perspective of the 4th Mandaue-Mactan Bridge Project across the Mactan Channel to anticipate future traffic demand between mainland Cebu and Mactan Island.
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Proponents of the 4th bridge that will link the islands of mainland Cebu and Mactan is targeting for it to be completed by 2028.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the lead agency of the project, announced on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, that the Japanese and Philippine governments have formally signed loan agreements amounting to a total of 154. 1 billion Yen, or roughly P72 billion, for two big-ticket projects.
The projects involved are the 4th Cebu-Mactan Bridge and the Davao City Bypass Construction Project. 119.2 billion Yen (P55.8 billion) of the loan was set aside for the former while 34.8 billion Yen (P16.3 billion) for the latter.
In a press release, JICA said they are aiming for 4th Cebu-Mactan Bridge to be completed by January 2028 “when all facilities are put into service.”
“The objective of the project is to respond to increasing traffic demand in Metro Cebu by constructing a long-span road bridge between Cebu and Mactan Island and the connecting coastal road, thereby contributing to socio-economic development through mitigating traffic congestion,” JICA said.
The group also said Japanese technology will be applied in the implementation of the proposed bridge.
“The Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) will apply to the Japanese ODA loan for the project, and it is expected that advanced Japanese technology, such as Design and construction of long-span steel box girders and Steel for Bridge High-Performance Structure, will be utilized in the project for constructing the long-span steel box girder bridge and coastal road,” they added.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and JICA chief representative in the Philippines Eigo Azukizawa led the ceremonial signing last Tuesday.
READ MORE: Jica to lend $2.35B to PH in 2020 for infra, COVID-19 response
The 4th Cebu-Mactan Bridge is composed of two components – the bridge itself spanning up to 3.3 kilometers and the Mandaue Coastal Road that has a length of 4.9 kilometers, with two or three lanes in each direction.
It is estimated to cost 169.8 billion Yen or about P79.5 billion.
Last week, Ambassador Haneda Koji from the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has signed and exchanged notes to formalize the loan agreements. /
READ MORE: PH, Japan formalizes loan agreement for 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge
The bridges currently connecting mainland Cebu and Mactan are the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the Sergio Osmeña Bridge, also known as the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.
The third bridge is the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), which is due for completion in 2021. /bmjo