Cabinet panel approves restructuring of P20.8B Samal-Davao bridge project
The Samal Island-Davao City Connector now goes to the Economic Development Council for final approval, with construction about 61 percent complete as of June.
A Cabinet-level committee has approved the restructuring of the P20.8-billion Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) Project, the bridge now being built to link Davao City with the Island Garden City of Samal, according to PortCalls Asia.
The Department of Finance said in a statement that, following the approval of the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CC), the project was endorsed on October 22 to the Economic Development Council for final approval. The council is chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The report did not detail what the restructuring involves.
About 90 percent of the project is funded through an official development assistance loan from China signed in 2021 under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. The loan carries an annual interest rate of 2 percent and is payable over 20 years, including a seven-year grace period.
Groundbreaking took place in October 2022, but actual construction began only in 2024 because of legal challenges raised by some businesses and environmental groups. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Davao Region office said the bridge was about 61 percent complete as of June 2026.
DPWH is the main implementing agency, with China Road and Bridge Corp. handling construction. In July, DPWH Davao Region spokesperson Dean Ortiz told a media forum that the agency had asked the national government for additional fund releases to keep the project on schedule.
The four-lane, toll-free bridge is designed to carry around 25,000 vehicles a day. It will run from the R. Castillo–Daang Maharlika Junction in Davao City to the Circumferential Road on Samal Island, cutting travel time from 55 minutes by ferry to about 4.5 minutes, according to the report.
"By improving connectivity between Davao City and Samal Island, we are supporting local businesses and creating more opportunities for communities," said Finance Secretary Frederick Go, who co-chairs the ICC.
Why it matters for Davao
The bridge will give Davao City commuters, businesses and tourists a direct road link to Samal, replacing a ferry trip of nearly an hour with a crossing of under five minutes. The restructuring approval is a step in keeping the partly built project moving toward completion.
This article was written by the DavaoNews desk with AI assistance, using reporting by PortCalls Asia. Facts come from the original report, which we credit and link below. Our editorial policy
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