The difficulty in finding acceptable relocation sites for more than 200 families in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, may delay the start of construction of the proposed fourth Cebu-Mactan bridge.
Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 has asked the City Government to clear portions of the coastal area in Paknaan for a bridge pier and access components. The project will affect at least 205 families, including informal settlers and fire victims who have built homes and livelihoods in the area.
Resistance to Relocation
Ouano said they have offered relocation options, but many families have resisted moving outside Mandaue City because of livelihood concerns and long-standing community ties.
“The request of many families is to just move within the same area temporarily. They no longer want to transfer far because they have already lived there for many years,” Ouano said.
Some residents have also rejected financial assistance alone, insisting on a decent and permanent relocation site within the city. Ouano said Mandaue City has limited land available for relocation. Existing relocation sites, including Bayanihan Village, are already full, while socialized housing projects remain under construction. He added that some housing buildings being developed can accommodate only 100 to 150 families each, below the current demand.
Livelihood Concerns
The City has identified potential relocation areas outside Mandaue, but affected residents prefer to stay near their sources of income, including informal trade, fishing-related work and nearby urban jobs. Ouano said the City will not force residents to move, consistent with a policy he had promised during his campaign.
“To be honest, we cannot force them. We continue to give them options, but the available sites are not acceptable to them,” he said. The relocation issue has forced the City Government to balance community consent with the construction schedule set by national authorities.
Bridge Project Details
The fourth Cebu-Mactan bridge is planned as another major connection between Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City. It is expected to ease traffic on existing crossings and improve access to northern Cebu, including Consolacion and Liloan. It will complement the first Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, also known as the Serging Veloso Osmeña Jr. Bridge; the Marcelo Fernan Bridge; and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, which serve as the main gateways between mainland Cebu and Mactan Island.
The proposed 3.34-kilometer, four-lane bridge will link Paknaan to Barangay Ibo in Lapu-Lapu City. The project also includes a 4.9-kilometer coastal road component designed to improve traffic flow. The project is estimated to cost P76.412 billion. It will be partly financed through a 120-billion-yen loan, or about P50 billion, under Japan’s official development assistance program through the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
DPWH is targeting the start of construction within the year. Once completed, the bridge is expected to reduce travel time between Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu and decongest major roads in Metro Cebu, where traffic has worsened because of urban growth and rising vehicle volume.
Legal Safeguards
Under Republic Act 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act, local government units must ensure humane relocation for informal settler families affected by government infrastructure projects, including access to basic services and livelihood support. In highly urbanized cities such as Mandaue, land scarcity and high property costs have made in-city relocation difficult, a problem also seen in previous infrastructure projects in Metro Cebu.
The City Government said consultations with affected families are ongoing as it works to meet infrastructure deadlines while addressing social acceptability concerns. DPWH has maintained its target to begin preparatory work within the second or third quarter of the year, although local officials have asked for more time to finalize relocation arrangements and complete community consultations.
For now, the project remains on track, but its rollout will depend on whether the city can find a fair and permanent relocation site for families who have long called the area home.
