4th Cebu-Mactan bridge project: DPWH meets 50 Mandaue families to be affected by P76B project

The P76.413 billion 4th Mactan-Cebu bridge project is expected to affect 50 families on the Mandaue-side of the project, says a DPWH official. Photo shows the approved area where the bridge will be built. | Photo courtesy of Mandaue PIO

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — With the P76.4 billion 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge scheduled to be constructed in 2024, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started consultative meetings with the Mandaue City government and the at least 50 families that will be affected by the project.

DPWH representatives said the project, which would be made up of two components that would be implemented, would be the coastal road widening project and the construction of the 4th Cebu-Mactan Bridge that would connect Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.

The DPWH representatives hold a consultative meeting with 50 families in Mandaue City that will be affected by the 4th bridge project. | Mary Rose Sagarino

According to the DPWH, the construction of the 4th Cebu-Mactan Bridge and the widening of the Coastal Road project, which is estimated to be P76.413 billion, are scheduled to start construction in the first quarter of 2024 and are estimated to be completed in 5 years.

However, Engineer Lope Pajarillaga, DPWH project manager for detailed engineering design, said that due to some issues with the 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge project, the project’s Detailed Engineering Design (DED) had yet to be completed.

Pajarillaga said that due to this, it would be most likely that they would start the widening of the Coastal Road project first while waiting for the 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge issues to be resolved.

The fourth bridge project, which is funded by a Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) through a loan, has two components: a four-lane 3.3-kilometer bridge with an elevated four-lane viaduct and a four-lane 4.9-km coastal road with an elevated viaduct.

Under the approved plan, the 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge would connect Mandaue City, near Cansaga Bay Bridge and Lapu-Lapu City near the Marina Mall.

Representatives of the Department of Public Works and Highways hold a consultative meeting with the affected families on the Mandaue side of the bridge project on Oct. 12 and 13. | Mary Rose Sagarino

As for the affected residents on the Mandaue side of the 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge project, Pajarillaga said that they had already met with the Mandaue City government officials led by Mayor Jonas Cortes, who agreed to provide relocation site for the affected residents.

He said that these residents, who would be affected by the 4th Cebu-Mactan project, would be compensated by the DPWH.

Pajarillaga said that based on the feasibility study conducted that over 20 houses in Brgy. Paknaan and at least 30 houses from other barangays would be affected by the project.

Pajarillaga said that a final survey would be conducted to identify people that would surely be affected.

Five barangays in Mandaue City including Brgy. Centro are expected to be affected by the implementation of the projects along with two barangays in Lapu-Lapu City namely barangays Pusok and Ibo.

Unlike in Mandaue City, Pajarillaga said there would be fewer structures that would be affected in Lapu-Lapu City by the 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge project. However, majority of those structures are business establishments.

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