Third Mactan bridge – new factories
SOME years ago during the past PNoy administration, I was invited by the Cebu Association of Newspapermen and Radio Broadcasters to be their guest speaker. The occasion was their yearly event to honor outstanding Cebuano politicians, businessmen, and members of the academe.
As I noticed time and again when I travelled to the Mactan International Airport to catch a flight and vice-versa when I arrived in Cebu, I noticed that there was heavy traffic to and from the main island of Cebu to Mactan. It was quite obvious that at least onehalf of the traffic volume came from Cebu City and further south — it was time to build a third bridge from the South Cebu City Reclamation Area across the channel into what used to be the Shell fuel depot on Shell island. Then a new reclamation in Cordova to connect the road from the island to the south area of Mactan island in the town of Cordova. This was basically the subject matter of my speech in the meeting of the Cebu media. Former Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, now secretary to President Duterte as adviser on legislative matters, was also present on that occasion.
I am happy that an idea — nay, a mere suggestion that I made three years ago — will hopefully become a reality within three years from the signing of the 127-billion bridge contract. The bridge will reportedly be built under a private-public partnership (PPP) scheme with the Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corporation (MPTDC).
I would like the public to know that I absolutely don’t have any participation or interest in the bridge contract — except that my idea would help in the progress and prosperity of Cebu.
Let me further express more ideas which I had already written about before:
1. An EDSA type circumferential road could be built connecting the third Cordova Mactan Bridge and the two existing bridges — the original old bridge from Mandaue to Lapu Lapu City, Mactan, and the second bridge in the same city, so that traffic can move North to South and vice-versa between Lapu Lapu City — Mandaue-Cebu City, Talisay City, and the province of Cebu.
2. Cordova and Lapu Lapu City wharves to enhance the capacity of the Cebu Harbor Facilities.
3. Purchase more areas needed for the second runway of the Mactan International Airport. Enough suggestions for now. I am also elated that Tsuneishi shipyard in Balamban, Cebu, is increasing investments in our country. As we know Tsuneshi Heavy, Industries, Inc. (Japanese), has a big shipyard equal to the size of Hanjin (Korean) shipyard in Zambales. Tsuneshi revealed that it was investing in a prospective ship recycling plant with an estimated project cost of 15 billion, with a total job generation of 6,000 workers. I hope the project will be located near Balamban, Cebu. Reports however say the project will be located in a 120-hectare property in Negros Occidental.
Another factory will be the biomass plant which will be located in Mindanao. At the Cavite Export Processing Zone, Ichejo (Japanese) has 100 hectares and a factory floor space of 77 hectares. Ichejo is engaged in the manufacture of prefab housing components and is one of the biggest employers with 20,000 personnel. Its export revenues amounted to 140 billion yen.
I believe that all developments require more PEZA areas all over our country. Indeed more investments reinforce what I wrote last week that land development and use should prioritize job creation to produce wealth, development, and progress in our country.