Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro proposed requiring Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board consultation on channel developments during an Oct. 13, 2026 meeting, following concerns infrastructure projects narrowed ship navigation passages.
MCBMB vice chairman Pericles Dakay warned that damage or disruptions to inter-island bridges would severely affect supply chains and logistics, causing massive economic and societal losses for Cebu.
Local leaders, provincial officials, and regional agency representatives attended the strategic planning session to strengthen board coordination and protect bridge integrity under Executive Order 181, series of 1999.
CEBU Gov. Pamela Baricuatro is pushing for a resolution requiring the Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB) to be consulted on developments in the Mactan-Cebu Channel following concerns that infrastructure projects have narrowed the passage used by ships.
Baricuatro raised the proposal during the board’s first strategic planning session and workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, as officials discussed measures to protect Cebu’s bridges and improve coordination among agencies responsible for the province’s major inter-island connections.
The board members’ concerns centered on the space available for ships to navigate and maneuver through the channel, underscoring the need to consider maritime safety alongside infrastructure development.
Safeguards
The session, led by Baricuatro as MCBMB chairperson, also sought to strengthen the board’s institutional capacity and identify priorities for 2027 amid Cebu’s growing transportation and economic needs.
“We need to make sure that the bridges under the care of the MCBMB are ready for what is to come, including the rapid growth of Cebu and its impact on connectivity between the major islands of Cebu,” Baricuatro said.
Mandate
The activity, themed “Building a Future-Ready Cebu,” also reviewed the board’s mandate under Executive Order 181, series of 1999, which tasks the MCBMB with ensuring the safe, efficient and sustainable planning, management, maintenance and coordination of Cebu’s major inter-island bridges.
The board’s functions include policy review and approval, interagency coordination, fund administration and the technical and operational management of bridges, as well as other functions assigned by the Regional Development Council.
Integrity
MCBMB vice chairman Engineer Pericles Dakay stressed the importance of protecting the structural integrity and safety of Cebu’s bridges, which support the movement of people, essential services, goods and logistics across the province.
“Our bridges are part of a connected whole, it does not stand in isolation. If something happens to our bridges, the supply chain, logistics will be severely affected, especially here in Cebu. Disruptions in the supply chain can really cause a huge economic and societal losses,” Dakay said.
Coordination
Dakay warned that damage to or disruption of the bridges could cause significant economic and social losses, emphasizing their importance to Cebu’s continued development.
Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano attended the activity, along with Philippine Information Agency 7 Director Fayette Riñen and representatives from the Lapu-Lapu City Government, Philippine Coast Guard, Police Regional Office 7 Maritime Group, Naval Forces Central, Land Transportation Office 7, Cebu Port Authority and the Department of Public Works and Highways’ 6th District Engineering Office.
Eli Sabinay of the Provincial Planning and Development Office facilitated the session.
The MCBMB aims to strengthen coordination among stakeholders and ensure that bridge management remains responsive to Cebu’s growing transportation and economic needs. / ANV