It is done

I thank God for giving me the life na pag ground-break ko sa bridge na ito, ako din ang nag-inaugurate, nagputol ng ribbon. I’d like to thank the builders… your hard work to ensure the completion of this monumental task is noble.”

With that, President Rodrigo Duterte inaugurated the much-anticipated and iconic Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) bridge, timed for the closing of the Quincentennial activities in the country through the 501st Kadaugan Sa Mactan celebration, which commemorates the victory of the warriors of Mactan under Lapu-lapu over the Spanish exploration fleet led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Instead of cutting the ribbon with scissors, though, which is the traditional way of inaugurating new and completed infrastructure, the President rode on his vehicle to “cut” through the ribbon in the middle of the bridge, symbolizing the opening of a connection, a new passageway for commuters and travelers.

The CCLEX, also known as the Cebu-Cordova Bridge, is an 8.5-kilometer toll bridge expressway connecting mainland Cebu from Cebu City to Cordova town in Mactan Island.

(Standing from left) MPIC executive director Jose Ma. Lim, PLDT and Smart first VP and corporate communications group head Cathy Yang, MPIC chief finance, risk and sustainability officer Chaye Cabal- Revilla, the author. (Seated) Sen. Bong Go, Cebu Rep. Emmarie Ouano-Dizon, DPWH acting Secretary Roger Mercado , Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, President Rodrigo Duterte, Manuel V. Pangilinan, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho, and Cebu Mayor Michael Rama.

With its inauguration, it is now the longest bridge in the Philippines, surpassing the five-kilometer Candaba Viaduct of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the two-kilometer San Juanico Bridge connecting the provinces of Leyte and Samar.

It also surpasses the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, the second bridge crossing the Mactan Channel, as the longest cable-stayed bridge in the country.

More than just its addition to Cebu and the country’s monumental landmarks, the CCLEX is also a magnificent testament to the incredible things that can be achieved through a Public-Private Partnership or PPP.

PPP is a contractual agreement between the government and a private firm targeted towards financing, designing, implementing and operating infrastructure facilities and services that were traditionally provided by the public sector.

In this case, the partnership was entered into between the city of Cebu and the municipality of Cordova on the government side with Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), through its subsidiary Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC), on the private sector side.

MPTC is the largest toll road developer and operator in the Philippines and is the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) of the MVP Group of Companies.

In his speech during the inauguration, MPTC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, or MVP, said that “we are happy and honored to have come to this point, opening the biggest infrastructure project in this part of the country. We thank President Duterte for honoring us by being part of this historic event.”

MVP added that “Not far from here, 501 years ago, Cebuanos celebrated a victory in a pitched battle against a superior force. Today we mark a different milestone, a modern victory not of arms but of engineering and construction that gave us such a beautiful structure that has now become an icon in Cebu.”

MVP further emphasized that the bridge was “The pride of Cebu that is a product of the hearts, minds, and hands of Cebuanos.”

For his part, MPTC president and CEO Rod Franco said, “Our company is happy to complete this project and contribute to the economic development of the southern Philippines.”

Indeed, I have followed the progress of the CCLEX from its groundbreaking in 2018 till today and have written about it more than once.

(Seated from left) Sen. Bong Go, Cebu Rep. Emmarie Ouano-Dizon, DPWH acting Secretary Roger Mercado, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, President Duterte, Manuel V. Pangilinan, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama with Metro Pacific Tollways Group Executive Committee and Cebu Cordova Link Ex-pressway (CCLEC) Management Committee led by MPTC president and CEO Rodrigo Franco (standing, seventh from left).

Aside from President Duterte, this project could not have been accomplished in due time without the full support and assistance of Executive Secretary Bingbong Medialdea, former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and current Public Works Secretary Oging Mercado, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade, Sen. Bong Go, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, Cebu Mayor Mike Rama, former Cordova Mayor and Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary, the late Adelino Sitoy, and current Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy Cho.

Hats off to the hard work and dedication of CCLEX president and general manager, my classmate, Allan Alfon, who has harbored a deep appreciation and passion for bridges since he was a child. My compliments, too, to the Technical Advisor, COWI A/S and its Philippine counterpart, DCCD Engineering Corp.; Independent Consultant Norconsult; Cebu Link JV composed of Acciona Construccion S.A., First Balfour under president and CEO Anthony Fernandez, and D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI) under Sid and Jorge Consunji and Ambassador of Spain to the Philippines Jorge Moragas.

So, what can we expect after this? Perhaps a Cebu-Bohol bridge? Well, let me just tease you a bit by saying that… it’s being seriously studied!

Padayon, Sugbu!