205 Mandaue families to be relocated for 4th Cebu-Mactan bridge

Local

A BRIDGE meant to ease traffic across the Mactan Channel will lead to the relocation of 205 families in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to implement the P76.412-billion fourth Cebu-Mactan bridge project, which will link Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu City and form part of a larger coastal highway network.

Mayor Thadeo Jovito "Jonkie" Ouano said the affected families are occupying government-owned land along the project’s alignment and must be relocated before construction begins.

Project representatives told him civil works could start as early as April or within 2026.

DPWH engineers Francis Gabriel M. Atienza and Renz Daniel del Rosario presented the proposal to the city government and coordinated with local officials regarding relocation plans.

Ouano said many of the residents are fire victims from Barangays Subangdaku and Tipolo who moved to Paknaan about two years ago when the site was still largely vacant.

The area has since become fully occupied.

City officials have already met with family representatives, and a public hearing will be scheduled to formally inform homeowners about the project.

The mayor said the city requested more time to conduct consultations and ensure proper relocation.

“Pero mao to ilang gusto nga as soon as possible, ma-relocate dayon to sila. I’m sure ang gihangyo gyud ani is marelocate sila nga the same area lang,” Ouano said.

He stressed that relocating hundreds of families cannot be done hastily.

“Ilang giingon nako mga April kuno. Ana ko, ‘hapit naman ang April, dili man ingon ana kadali mag-relocate ka ug pila ka pamilya,’” he said.

Ouano said the national government committed to provide financial assistance to displaced families and described the aid as a “substantial amount,” higher than what the city government alone can offer.

However, he clarified that the national government will not provide a relocation site.

“Pero akong gusto, mahatagan gyud sila ug relocation site with the financial assistance coming from the national government,” he said.

The mayor said the city is trying to identify relocation areas within Mandaue, as residents prefer to remain near their jobs and schools.

Currently, the only available site is Pasilong sa Paradise in Barangay Guizo, which is reserved for emergency use during calamities and is not yet fully occupied.

“Naa tay mga areas, pero dili pa ready sa city,” Ouano said.

The fourth bridge will stretch about 3.3 kilometers and

feature four lanes in a cable-stayed design.

It will connect Barangay Paknaan in Mandaue City to Barangay Ibo in Lapu-Lapu City.

Under the proposed alignment, the bridge and coastal road will run alongside the E.C. Ouano Wharf, connect to Zuellig Road, and link to the Lapu-Lapu flyover.

The project will also create a new route between Ibo and an area near the Cansaga Bay Bridge to provide motorists an alternative crossing and ease congestion.

Traffic between mainland Cebu and Mactan Island currently relies heavily on the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, the Mactan–Mandaue Bridge, and the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway.

The project will be funded partly through a 120-billion-yen loan, or around P50 billion, from the Japan International Cooperation Agency under Japan’s official development assistance program.

Before civil works proceed, DPWH must complete detailed engineering designs and right-of-way acquisition, while the city finalizes relocation arrangements and financial assistance for the affected families.(MyTVCebu)