Bid to demolish bridge approved

The Cebu City Council has requested the executive department to demolish the bridge connecting the South Road Properties to the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

During the regular session, the council approved the motion of Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. to demolish the bridge as it allegedly blocks the fishing vessels of over 100 fishermen from the city’s coastal areas.

Alcover said the bridge should also go because the city is closing the sanitary landfill.

However, Councilor Sisinio Andales said the City Council cannot order the executive department to do it since it is the prerogative of the mayor.

Alcover said he only intends to request the executive department since the bridge is affecting the livelihood of the fishermen.

The City Council committee on environment, energy, transportation, communication and other utilities also rendered its report on the issue.

Councilor Joel Garganera, chairman of the committee, said the findings of the City Planning and Development Office do not respond to the concerns of the Pardohanon Pundok Kabus Mananagat, Inc. saying that the office is only concerned about the infrastructure that blocks the passageway of the fishing vessels.

“The cost of construction of the causeway may be greater than the benefits considering the inevitable closure of the Inayawan dumpsite,” read the report.

Garganera said the technical conference was also conducted after the construction of the bridge when it should have been done before it was built.

In the report, he said the executive department should identify until when the bridge will be cleared since it was stated before that the bridge would be “temporary.”

It was last year when over a hundred of fishermen protested the construction of the bridge.

However, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the bridge of culverts is for the garbage trucks going to the landfill to fast track the garbage collection.

The mayor said having the bridge could help alleviate the traffic situation of the main roads going to and from the landfill.

As to the concern of the fisherfolks that the bridge is blocking their passageway, Osmeña said there are several areas where the fishermen can pass.