The Samal bridge is one of 10 bridges in Region 3 that Tokwing Construction Corp. is building in a package deal under the government’s Design and Build Program.
The Samal bridge reportedly funded for P18 million is the fi rst project in the country under the program.
Tokwing under contract with the Region 3 office of the Department of Public Works and Highways has to finish the bridge by September 26, 2017 but the date was moved to November 25, 2017 after some problems have to be settled.
Contractor project engineer Chito Sampang on Wednesday said one lane of the bridge will be passable first week of December while the whole bridge will be totally traversable before the end of December 2017.
The mayor said she understands the problem of commuters.
“Bilang ina ng bayan ng Samal, ang kaunting hiling sana natin ay ang lawakan pa natin ang pag-unawa. Sa development may kaunting sakripisyo. Nagsakripisyo na rin lang, habaan pa ng kaunti dahil mas higit pa ang ating haharaping kaluwagan. Kaunting hinahon lang po.” dela Fuente said.
She said that the bridge construction was a little bit slow but that what she could only do was to always remind the project engineer.
“Wala namang may kagustuhan na ma-delay. Kaunting sakripisyo na lang, she said. Dela Fuente said the bridge will soon be finished but she has some issues to address with the contractor.
“Ang design ng tulay sobrang mataas kaya may mga lugar na dating napapasok pero hindi na mapapasok. Dapat malunasan ito para hindi mahirapan ang mga tao,” the mayor said.
Bataan Fist District Engineering Office chief Erlindo Flores said the elevation of the bridge was indeed high and once the approach and transition to the bridge will be elevated, it will aff ect the residents.
“I will talk with the project engineer kung ano mabuti para favorable sa bawat isa at tuloy-tuloy na paggawa,” Flores said.
“Kapag panahon ng tagulan, lulubog ang mga barangay West Daan Bago, Ibaba at San Juan kung tatambakan at tataasan ng dalawang metro ang daan,” former Samal mayor Teodorico Albelda who resides near the bridge said.
He said that the planned elevation of the road leading to the bridge should be properly studied.
“Ang panawagan ko sa mayor, DPWH, huwag nang tambakan ang daan, yon na lang approach ng tulay like what had been done in the Orani (Bataan) bridge,” Albelda said.
Boyet Medina, Petron gas station operator near the bridge said their business closed shop for some months after the start of the bridge construction on September 2016.
“Medyo malaki nawala sa negosyo namin. Halos 60% nawala,” the businessman said.
He said he raised the elevation of his gas station but will be nothing with the plan of increasing the height of the road and the approach to the bridge to two meters.
“Panawagan ko sana babaan ng kaunti ang approach ng tulay na sobrang taas. Itinaas ko na nga ang gas station pero kulang pa rin. Sana bawasan ng kahit isang metro ang approach sa magkabilang bahagi ng tulay,” Medina said.
Danilo Vinzon, tricycle driver, said the bridge construction has greatly affected their livelihood.
“Walang pasahero, Halos isang oras kaming nakapila bago may sasakay,” he said.
The tricycle driver said the more they will be affected once the road is elevated.
“Wala ng dadaan dito dahil mamamatay ang mga kanto,” Vinzon said.
