As third access to Mactan Island, Del Mar favors tunnel over bridge

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City north district Rep. Raul del Mar suggested that the 15 minutes travel time to the airport in the olden days should be used as benchmark in the pre-feasibility study on what would be the third access from mainland Cebu to Mactan Island.

Del Mar, who prefers an undersea tunnel, said that the primary consideration should be to cut short the travel time to the airport. Del Mar admitted that he is in favor of the tunnel than building a third bridge because it would be a shorter route to the airport.

"That way we can get back to the old travel time of 15 minutes. See how convenient it will be for everybody especially the tourists and the investors," Del Mar said.

He suggested that the entry and the exit points should go straight through an expressway to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) terminal.

Del Mar strongly believes that the undersea tunnel would be easier this time with the advance technology. He is not amenable to the third bridge knowing how long it would be to allow sea vessels to pass underneath.

Del Mar explained that even if the international port will be transferred outside Cebu City, domestic port would remain. The lawmaker also proposed a construction of the airport's second runway.

"Kung di ta magbutang og second runway karon, by the time it is needed di nata makabutang kay naa nasay pareha sa Manila nga mga building, mo-expand ang atong processing zone, it will be impossible already," he said.

The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) is now conducting the pre-feasibility study on the proposed third access from Cebu City to the Island of Mactan.

On September 3,  2013, an agreement was executed between Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, MPTC chief executive officer Ramoncito Fernandez, and Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy for the project's pre-feasibility study.

Under the said MOA, the Province of Cebu and the Municipality of Cordova allowed MPTC to proceed and undertake the necessary studies for the project.

As proposed by MPTC, the project includes the design, construction, implementation, operation, and maintenance of a third access located south of the existing Mandaue-Mactan Bridge. It also includes the main bridge structure, viaduct, causeway, and support arterial roads.

Certain developments on other national infrastructure projects, comments and observations from the parties during the last presentation of Project Update by MPTC last month require further modification of the design and alignment of the project.

The MOA also provides that MPTC shall conduct its pre-development studies at no cost to the provincial government and Cordova. MPTC is also considering looking at various alignments extending the third access connection up to the MCIA. — (FREEMAN)