Davao City, April 21, 2014 (PIA) – Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario strongly endorsed to the Regional Development Council (RDC) –XI the inclusion of the proposed P6-billion Samal Bridge in the regional development priorities for 2015.
During the 1st regular meeting of the Advisory Committee (AdCom) of the RDC-XI, the governor moved for a full blown feasibility study (FS) and detailed engineering as first phase in the implementation of the 1.2-kilometer bridge that will connect Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal (IGCS).
The members of the council unanimously approved the project, which will be implemented under the public- private-partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects.
The AdCom readily added the mega project’s FS into the P69.43 billion budgetary requirement for the priority projects in the Davao region next year.
The regional priorities include urgent reconstruction of Typhoon Pablo affected rural economies, development of potential renewable energy sources, and farm mechanization, among others.
With the constant influx of investments and tourism development coming into the island, del Rosario stressed it is high time to continue the big ticket project that was first proposed 12 years ago.
The governor recalled that a pre-feasibility analysis on the project was done in 2002 within the framework of the Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP) Master Plan.
He underscored the bridge will link up and bring tremendous trade returns and tourism prospects to the island, which is included in the country’s master plan for tourism development.
As he puts it, the bridge will boost tourism and investment, as well as, hasten the socio-economic development in the island, by lowering the cost and speeding up transport of people, goods and resources.
He also clarified that the PPP initiative will ensure government resources earmarked for basic services will not be sacrificed in accomplishing the project.
The RDC-XI’s Tourism Industry Cluster also endorsed the project during its meeting on April 15, 2014. (Noel Baguio-PIO Davao del Norte )
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