Bridge to cross 147 lots, if City approves

Bridge to cross 147 lots, if City approves

THE proponent of the CebuCordova bridge project identified some 147 lots in Cebu City that may be affected by the construction of the P27.9billion toll facility.

The properties, which span more than a hectare combined,

will be used if the construction of the two ramps along Guadalupe River that will connect to the bridge will push through.

Construction of the two ramps will depend on the decision of the City Government.

In an executive session with the City Council, Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC) consultant Engr. Dante Bautista said the 147 lots to be affected include 75 private lots.

These also include 55 public lands and 17 properties whose ownership has yet to be verified.

Ramps

These properties, Bautista said, are where the 790-meter on-ramp (or the ramp going to the bridge) will be constructed and the more than one kilometer off-ramp or the ramp from the bridge going to the city street.

Bautista is connected with Parsons Brinckerhoff.

The on-ramp will start on C. Padilla St. while the off-ramp will land on Sanciangko St.

Based on their roadright-of-way (RROW) inventory, Bautista said the 147 affected lots are equivalent to 1.77 hectares of land that will be needed for the two sets of ramps.

“While we identified the lots and determined the RROW requirement, let me emphasize that it doesn’t mean that the whole area will be occupied by solid structure. The substructure of these ramps will be spaced between 40 to 60 meters so what we will see are just a series of planted columns,” he told the council.

The properties were identified through a parcellary survey conducted by MPTDC’s consultant. The survey started a month ago and will wrap up by September.

Public land

Based on the joint venture agreement signed by the City and MPTDC last April, Cebu City and Cordova’s contribution for the project will only be its resources, particularly the public lands that will be used for the bridge.

MPTDC legal consultant Atty. Aristotle Batuhan said the construction of the two ramps was a result of the negotiations they had with the joint venture selection committee during the administration of former mayor Michael Rama.

It was proposed by the previous administration so it will coincide with the plan to rehabilitate Guadalupe River. MPTDC accepted.

The joint venture agreement signed by the City Government and MPTDC then stated that it will be the City’s job to clear the riverbanks and the three-meter easement of the river from illegal structures.

According to Batuhan, they were already informed of the objections from some barangay officials to the project due to the displacement of residents. It was the reason the council called for an executive session with MPTDC last Aug. 23.

Condition

They also learned about the matter when they conducted a public scoping for their environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

For this reason, Batuhan said, they are willing to defer construction of the two ramps and just proceed with the original plan for the bridge, which is to end it at the Cebu South Coastal Road.

“If and when the City is ready with the right of way toward the Guadalupe River, then we can add such access to the project,” he added.

Mayor Tomas Osmena, in an earlier interview, said that he will not allow the project to displace informal settlers.

He also said he doesn’t want the City to shell out money for the facility.

Councilor Raymond Garcia asked how much would be the difference if the two ramps will not be constructed.

MPTDC vice president for business development Francis Rojas the cost differential will amount to about P3 billion to P3.5 billion, including the financing cost, among others.

Lower toll

Garcia then asked if it will have an effect on the toll that will be collected from those who will use the facility.

Rojas said there will be a reduction.

Originally, he said the rate of the facility with the Guadalupe access being constructed was projected at P89 by 2021, the year they are expecting

the bridge to open.

Without the ramps, the rate will probably be around P75 to P82 by 2021, he added.

Batuhan, however, told the council that the design for the bridge can no longer be changed since it had been the basis of the approval of the project and when it was subjected to a Swiss challenge.

This means that the construction of the two ramps is already part of the project scope.

Phases

“But we can phase in the implementation of the project. If in the future, the decision of the City is to continue the access to Guadalupe River and the RROW can be delivered to the proponent, then we will gladly implement the full scope of the project as a result of the completed negotiations and award,” he said.

Asked if they are still within target for the construction of the project, Rojas said that with the inclination to defer the Guadalupe access, they can already start construction by middle of 2017, which is ahead of schedule.

That, provided they will be able to secure all the approvals from national government agencies within this year.

At present, Batuhan said they are meeting with the different representatives of Cebu City and Cordova and finalizing the concession agreement to be submitted to the Toll Regulatory Board.

They are targeting to finish it by end of September.

They are also in the process of securing the approval from Philippine Reclamation Authority and the ECC from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The project already has the approval from the Cebu Ports Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Department of Public Works and Highways.