The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced significant progress in the highly anticipated Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) Project, with advancements in the on-going bored piling works for the foundation that will eventually support the project superstructure.
In a site inspection report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain shared that bored piling works for foundation of the land and marine viaducts as well as the main navigation bridge to connect the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) to Davao City are advancing at a commendable pace.
To date, all 74 bored piles required for the Samal Island land viaduct structure have been completed while 48 of the 104 required bored piles have also been finished on the Davao City side.
“We are pleased to see commendable progress achieved so far. Despite the numerous logistical and technical challenges we face particularly due to the depth of the seabed, we remain on track to deliver this iconic bridge project by 2028. Our team continues to push forward, ensuring that the vision for this scenic and transformative infrastructure becomes a reality,” said Senior Undersecretary Sadain.
Implemented by the Unified Project Management Office - Bridges Management Cluster (UPMO-BMC) under the direct supervision of Senior Undersecretary Sadain as in-charge of DPWH infrastructure flagship projects and Project Director Rodrigo I. Delos Reyes, the 4.01-kilometer SIDC Project is under design-and-build contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation.
During an inspection on October 11, 2024 to review the ongoing works and ensure coordinated plans for the next stages of the project, Senior Undersecretary Sadain was joined by UPMO-BMC Project Director Delos Reyes, UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, Stakeholders Relations Service Director Randy R. Del Rosario, Project Managers Joweto V. Tulaylay and Najar S. Imbin, Acting Project Manager Norifel Teddie G. Cadiang, and Project Engineer John Christian T. Gaden.
In preparation for construction over the water, craneways on both sides of the project at Samal and Davao City have been completed. Ongoing works include the installation of permanent casings and platforms for the marine viaduct and main navigation bridge sections.
Meanwhile, the project’s detailed engineering design (DED) is now 97.9% complete following the recent approvals by DPWH Bureau of Design for key elements of the substructure and superstructure, bringing the design phase closer to finalization. The remaining design components, which include ramp sections and various ancillary structures like traffic safety facilities are currently under review.
Targetted to open to traffic within the term of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as a significant milestone in the government’s “Build, Better, More” program, the bridge will stand as a pioneering feat of modern engineering, designed to accommodate future growth in Mindanao.
The SIDC bridge will span the Pakiputan Strait with an impressive extradosed main bridge, featuring a 275-meter main span and a vertical navigation clearance of 47 meters. Two (2) pylons, each rising 73 meters above sea level, will support the bridge’s main section, allowing maritime traffic to pass beneath. The marine crossing itself will cover approximately 1.62 kilometers, reaching a maximum seabed depth of 40 meters.
This ambitious infrastructure project, funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA) under a Government Concessional Loan from China, has an estimated total cost of P23.52 billion.