By Jose Santino S. Bunachita
PIO Reporter
COLON Bridge, CEBU CITY (Nov. 8, 2022) – More progress and development are expected in the city’s south district when the Guadalupe ramps of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) will start to service motorists.
With this, the city will look for ways to cushion any impact in the downtown, midtown and uptown areas in terms of traffic and subsequent economic activities, among others.
Mayor Mike Rama said part of the preparations for the construction of the Guadalupe ramps will be the traffic and road improvement plans in the area.
“Naa na na’y detailed engineering. Gi-establish na before. We will have to revisit that,” he told Cebu City News.
The Mayor led city officials and counterparts from Cordova town in the groundbreaking ceremony early this morning here over Guadalupe River with officials of CCLEX Corp. (CCLEC).
CCLEC expects an increase of 12,000 tolls per day over CCLEX through the planned ramps. These on top of its 40,000 tolls per day capacity that today still serves still some 12,000 tolls per day.
The Guadalupe access ramps were part of the original concession agreement between CCLEC and the city government during the previous term of Mayor Rama when he served as chairman of the Regional Development Council.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) pledged to work with the city in developing or improving roads that will both feed and receive traffic through the eventual ramps.
DPWH Cebu City District Engr. Yusoph Rasuman said his office will be working with the city government to study needed road expansions to complement the Guadalupe links.
Most of the roads near the possible alignment of the ramp are local roads. Only the V. Rama Ave. and N. Bacalso Ave. are national roads under the jurisdiction of the DPWH, he said.
Mayor Rama, Cordova Mayor Cesar Suan, and CCLEC president and general manager Allan Alfon graced the groundbreaking and time capsule laying during the ceremony here.
Earlier this year, Mayor Rama strongly pushed for the re-inclusion of the Guadalupe ramp in CCLEX, and reiterated it during the new bridge’s formal opening last April 27.
He further personally brought it up with businessman Manny V. Pangilinan, chairman of CCLEC holding firm, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), when he visited him with his working force last Aug. 9.
Alfon said MPIC will pour in an additional investment into CCLEC between P2 billion to P3 billion for the Guadalupe ramp.
The final alignment for the ramp will be determined after detailed engineering is completed, he said.
CCLEC is working closely with the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) on this, he added.
CPDO head Arch’t. Joseph Michael “Yumi” Espina acknowledged and confirmed.
“Sige na mi ug storya ni Architect Yumi for the alignment. Paninguhaon namo nga minimal lang ang affected,” Alfon said.
Part of the preparation for the construction of the Guadalupe ramps is the clearing of the easement of the Guadalupe River. This would include relocating residents living in the riverbank.
Based on the concession agreement, the city government will handle the relocation.
Mayor Rama assured that the city will take care of those that will be displaced. He said Atty. Gerry Carillo, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), is on top of this.
He appealed for everyone’s cooperation, saying that this development will help everyone in the city.
“It will bring magic to the south district. It will bring magic to the downtown area. And it will bring progress, prosperity, and peace in the whole City of Cebu,” the mayor said in his speech.
For his part, Mayor Suan thanked CCLEC for the project as well as Mayor Rama whom he considers as his “idol.”
He said they are grateful for the project and the economic development it is bringing to Cordova.
Mayor Suan also acknowledged and thanked the late former Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy and former Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho for pushing for the realization of CCLEX.
Cebu City • News & Information 