DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 1 July) — The Supreme Court en banc issued a writ of kalikasan against several government agencies and a private contractor involved in the Samal Island–Davao City (SIDC) Connector Bridge project due to concerns over irreversible environmental damage.
The writ requires the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Samal Island Protected Landscape and Seascape Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), and the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to submit a verified response within 10 days from July 1.
Petitioners, including environmental advocates Carmela Marie Santos, Mark Peñalver, Marvelous Dainty Camilo, and the Sustainable Davao Movement, argued that the bridge construction threatens ecologically sensitive marine areas, particularly Paradise Reef off Samal Island and the Hizon Marine Protected Area in Davao City.
Environmental groups hailed the court’s decision as a victory for the constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology. The Writ of Kalikasan, rooted in the 1987 Constitution, safeguards against large-scale environmental harm affecting multiple regions.
Advocates stressed the ecological and cultural significance of Paradise Reef and Hizon MPA, condemning profit-driven development that disregards environmental protection.
The Supreme Court also referred the petitioners’ request for a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) to the Court of Appeals in Cagayan de Oro for further review.
The writ cited alleged violations of environmental laws, including the Expanded NIPAS Act, Wildlife Resources Conservation Act, and local ordinances.
The 3.98-kilometer bridge, funded largely by a Chinese loan, began construction in 2022 and is slated for completion by 2028. Environmentalists have reported damage to centennial corals at Paradise Reef due to the project.
As of April, the DPWH reported 12% completion, while recent updates claim 38% progress, with 88% of required land acquisitions finalized. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. initiated the project’s groundbreaking in October 2022, continuing an initiative from the Duterte administration.
DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain reiterated the agency’s commitment to timely and transparent project delivery while adhering to environmental and budgetary constraints. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
