Road to recovery from COVID-19: Another “Ceboom” seen with new infra

CEBU, Philippines —  Is another “Ceboom” on the horizon? Cebu First District Rep. Eduardo Gullas believes so.

Gullas said there are three new massive infrastructure projects worth a total of P182 billion lined up for Cebu.

These include the P80 billion fourth Cebu-Mactan Bridge and Coastal Road Construction Project, the P28-billion Metro Cebu Expressway Project, and the P74 billion Metro Cebu Monorail Transit System Project.

“There’s no question the three projects combined will enhance accessibility, facilitate trade, improve mobility, generate greater employment opportunities, and boost Cebu’s overall economic productivity,” Gullas said in a statement.

Cebu is opening up its tourism sector slowly to start generating jobs and revive the economy, which has been affected gravely by lockdowns brought about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gullas said he expects for construction of the projects to create new demand for goods and services that will, in turn, have a positive multiplier effect on Cebu’s economy.

Gullas pointed out that construction activities tend to benefit low-income households the most and help ease poverty.

“Over time, once the projects are completed, Cebu’s economy should be firing on all cylinders,” Gullas said.

Gullas said the fourth bridge “is already a go with everything in place,” including Japan’s official development assistance loan for the project.

One end of the bridge will land near the Cansaga Bay area on the side of Mandaue City in mainland Cebu while the other end will land in Barangay Ibo in Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island just near the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

At present, Mactan is connected to the main island of Cebu by two bridges – the 1,237-meter Marcelo Fernan Bridge opened in 1999 and the 864-meter Sergio Osmeña Bridge opened in 1972.

Both bridges span across the Mactan Channel and connect the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

A third crossing – the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway – that will link Cebu City and Cordova town is under construction.

Meanwhile, the 74-kilometer expressway from Naga City to Danao City is also a go but has been held back temporarily by unsolicited offers from two private investors for them to undertake the project.

Originally meant to be built by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the expressway could end up as a public-private partnership project if the national government decides to allow a private entity to come in, Gullas said.

As to Udenna Corp.’s unsolicited offer to build a 27-kilometer, 20-station elevated monorail, Gullas said he is counting on the national government to decide on the proposal before the year ends.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) endorsed Udenna’s offer to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) only in January.

“Metro Cebu desperately needs an overhead commuter train to efficiently move people around and decongest our roads,” Gullas said. — JMO (FREEMAN)