After years of exhausting efforts to appeal with government agencies to stop the construction of the Samal Island - Davao City (SIDC) Connector Bridge project, environmental groups in Davao City are now seeking the intervention of the Supreme Court through a petition for a Writ of Kalikasan.
While the Davao City Bypass Tunnel Project will address transportation issues of the city and the region, this has affected 2,500 residential structures and more than 400 hectares of agricultural land where at least 600 farming families reside.
Residents in Davao City’s hazard-prone areas are warned to prepare for possible floods brought by the effects of La Niña up to the month of March.
The sentiments of Samal residents have worried environmental groups and a family that has protected the island's reefs for years. The bridge construction will destroy corals and affect the pristine waters that make Samal beaches a favorite destination.
Mayor Sebastian Duterte faces criticisms from Davao’s environmental groups for stating his continuing support for the waste-to-energy incineration (WTE) project during his State of the City Address (SOCA) last August 6.