Firm open to new starting point for third Cebu-Mactan bridge
Aristotle Batuhan
The proponent of the proposed third Cebu-Mactan bridge, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), said they are open to the suggestion of a different starting point for the project.
“We received last Thursday the mayor’s certification with the attached resolution of the Cebu City joint venture selection committee. The next step would be the detailed negotiations,” MPTC legal consultant Aristotle Batuhan said.
He said they’ll be waiting for Cebu City’s Joint Venture-Selection Committee (JVSC) to notify them of the start of the negotiations.
In their original proposal the MPTC, a Manuel Pangilinan led firm, wants the bridge’s approach to be located near the Cebu South Coastal Road Tunnel in front of barangay Duljo-Fatima.
Toll fee
But Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants it to start at the mouth of the Guadalupe River near barangay Pasil.
Batuhan said their proposed alignment and design are preliminary and may be changed.
“The proponent is open to amendments of such proposal keeping in mind of course, the ideal to keep the toll as low as possible while keeping the project financially and technically feasible,” Batuhan said.
In an earlier “willingness to pay” survey conducted by the proponent, the MPTC pegged the toll fee for the third bridge at P55.
It will double and triple depending on the size of vehicles that wish to pass through the bridge.
Conditions
Last January 1, the Cordova municipal government already held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project at Shell Island.
Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy said they expect the works to start by the middle of this year.
Cordova was way ahead of Cebu City as it declared MPTC as the original proponent for the project.
Batuhan said they already had two sessions with Cordova for the detailed negotiations and terms and conditions for the project.
“On the side of Cordova, we should also resume negotiations soon as they were just waiting for Cebu City’s acceptance since they have issued theirs as early as October (last year),” he added.
In earlier meetings between Cebu City and Cordova, it was agreed that each local government will have a different contract with the proponent.
City Administrator Lucelle Mercado, who heads Cebu City’s JVSC, said the mayor wants some more items to be modified with the proposal.
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