DPWH Acting Secretary Manuel Bonoan was in town recently to check the progress of the downed Bankerohan bridge that is causing monstrous traffic in Davao City. Along with that he looked at the plans of some of the ear marked flag ship projects of the city. One of which was the Babak Bridge, which is a bridge that will connect the city of Davao with the Island City of Samal.
He mentioned that the project is:
Part of the flagship project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo highlighting the network of domestic gateways that seeks to link up the Philippines’ key islands which possess superior trade returns and tourism prospects.
Definitely the construction of this bridge will be an added tourism boost to the city of Samal. Samal Island, known for its white sand beaches, is highly accessible via fast small craft. The Philippine Coast Guard however has set a curfew of 5PM for the travel of small crafts.
The news of this bridge development has already spurred the rise of lot prices in the island, further news of inspections could lead to an added spike in lot prices. Considering that subdivisions being built near beach resorts in Davao are being snapped up like hotcakes by OFW’s with money to burn. Subdivisions like these developed at Samal Island could be even more in demand. Because compared to Davao’s volcanic sand type beaches, Samal Island is known for its white sand, pristine blue colored waters teeming with ocean life.
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