Davao-Samal Bridge Construction Continues Amidst Lawsuit

DESPITE an ongoing legal challenge from environmental groups, the Department of Public Works and Highways in Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) confirmed that the construction of the P23-billion Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) bridge project, also known as Davao-Samal Bridge, will continue as planned.

DPWH-Davao spokesperson Dean Ortiz, in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, said the project is progressing steadily and remains on track for completion by 2027. He acknowledged the existence of ongoing expropriation cases related to right-of-way issues in Davao City but emphasized that these have not significantly disrupted the overall construction timeline.

The SIDC project is a 3.9-kilometer, four-lane cable-stayed bridge that will link Barangay Limao in the Island Garden City of Samal to the R. Castillo-Daang Maharlika junction in Davao City, crossing over the Pakiputan Strait. 

The bridge will feature a vertical navigational clearance of 47 meters and is expected to accommodate up to 25,000 vehicles per day, significantly reducing travel time between Samal and Davao City from 30 minutes by ferry to just five minutes.

The project has come under fire from environmental groups who filed a 200-page petition before the Supreme Court (SC) in April. 

The petitioners are seeking a writ of kalikasan and a temporary environmental protection order, citing concerns over potential irreparable damage to coral reefs in Paradise Reef and the Hizon Marine Protected Area. 

They argue that the project threatens marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of local communities that depend on them.

“This case reveals both a slow and an immediate death of the coral reefs in the Davao Gulf,” the petition stated. “The destruction of the coral reefs poses an actual threat to the thriving local communities. If the coral reefs that have been relied upon for centuries would die, it is a tragedy — where the powerful, the State itself, plays god,” it added.

The petitioners include Ecoteneo Director Carmela Marie Santos, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability Executive Director Mark Peñalver, Dyesabel Philippines chairperson Marvelous Camilo, and the Sustainable Davao Movement. 

They are calling for the immediate cessation of the project and for the respondents to submit their responses within 10 days of receipt of the petition. They are also requesting the court to mandate rehabilitation and preservation efforts for the affected marine ecosystems.

Named respondents in the case include the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Samal Island Protected Landscape and Seascape Protected Area Management Board, and the China Road and Bridge Corporation, which is handling construction.

As of the present, DPWH-Davao Regional Director Juby Cordon reported that the project has achieved a 3.487 percent overall physical accomplishment. The design phase has been completed, while right-of-way acquisition is ongoing. 

Of the 55 affected lots in Davao City, 14 have been acquired through negotiated sale, while four more were secured through expropriation. Meanwhile, in Samal Island, all affected properties have been acquired.

Cordon also noted that 78 percent of the affected coconut trees in Davao City and 100 percent in Samal have been cleared. He reiterated that the design and planning stages of the project incorporated environmental considerations.

While the case is still pending before the Supreme Court, DPWH-Davao said it is prepared to comply with any legal orders that may arise from the proceedings, but affirmed its commitment to completing the infrastructure as scheduled. DEF