Why Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy opposes the Cebu-Bohol bridge project

CEBU, Philippines – Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy has a few words for those who support the idea of a bridge that would connect the islands of Bohol and Cebu: pause and reevaluate.

Among many religious figures and church leaders in the Visayas, Uy has been a strong voice in the fight against corruption and forces that seek to harm the environment.

From issues like the defacing of Chocolate Hills to the illegal poaching of centuries-old Acacia trees in Bohol, the bishop has never missed the chance to call out bad actors and preach about the protection of natural resources.

This time, in a Facebook post on Friday, December 6, the bishop urged his 591,000-strong constituency in the Diocese of Tagbilaran to think twice about their views on the proposed Cebu-Bohol bridge in consideration of the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef.

“Given the prevalent corruption in government infrastructure projects, we cannot be confident that those overseeing the construction will adequately protect the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef situated beneath the planned bridge,” Uy said.

Protecting the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef

This is not the first time that the bishop spoke about the double barrier reef. 

In an open letter posted on his Facebook page dated May 8, Uy pleaded with stakeholders, particularly government officials, to prioritize the conservation of the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef over the proposed Cebu-Bohol bridge.

“Any proposed development initiatives that pose a threat to this irreplaceable gift of nature must be met with resolute opposition and unwavering commitment to its preservation,” the bishop’s statement then read.

According to the official website of the Bohol Island Geopark, the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef is one of six double barrier reefs in the world and the only one of its kind in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Located on the northeast coast of Bohol in the Camotes Sea, it is composed of the Calituban and Caubyan reefs that have been major breeding grounds for diverse marine species and plants.

On March 6, Bohol 2nd District Representative Maria Vanessa Aumentado filed House Bill No. 10066, citing the findings of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) 2023 Protected Area Suitability Assessment, which recommended the declaration of the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef as a protected area.

Given the double barrier reef’s rich marine biodiversity and its vulnerability to climate change and the impacts of human activity, the congresswoman said in an explanatory note that the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef should be established as a protected area with a category of “protected landscape and seascape.”

The bill is still pending at the committee level.

A petition for the environment

Last November, Uy, together with Talibon, Bohol Bishop Daniel Patrick Parcon and Borongan, Eastern Samar Bishop Crispin Varquez signed a petition crafted by environmental advocates and lawyers to appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., DENR Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga, and other government officials to reject the Cebu-Bohol bridge project. 

According to the petition, a bridge project of this size could ruin 2,000 hectares of mangrove cover vital for more than 20 bird species and erase 27,200 hectares of coral reefs with 211 coral species.

“This is a huge marine biodiversity disaster that will result in food and nutrition insecurity, displacement and loss of livelihood of more than 10,000 in the poor and underprivileged sector of our society,” the petition read. 

Proposals for a bridge connecting Cebu and Bohol have been floating around for years. 

In 2016, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved the project called the Bohol-Cebu Friendship Bridge and had it endorsed to the Chinese government for funding.

The bridge project was even included in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s Build Build Build program but was later left off the list of projects to be pursued in 2019.

However, infrastructure development firm Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Company Manila Incorporated (AG&P Industrial) announced in a press release dated April 23, 2024, that they had signed a memorandum of understanding with Visayas NECEBOLEY Interlink Holdings Corporation (VNIHC) to pursue “NEDA’s $15-billion mega infrastructure project NECEBOLEY.”

The project is aimed at linking the islands of Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte.

“VNIHC was given Certificates of Acceptance thereby granting it original proponent status by the provincial governments Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol and Southern Leyte to develop Project NECEBOLEY through a collaborative joint venture initiative with the provincial government under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework,” the press release read.

Later, on April 27, the Cebu provincial government denied that it had given any original proponent status for the said mega infrastructure project, highlighting that the Economic Enterprise Council has not received an unsolicited proposal from VNIHC.

Uy, in a joint statement with Parcon, said their petition against the bridge project stressed the importance of preserving the environment over short-term economic rewards.

“Our stance shows the potential benefits of sustainable development, offering hope for a future that protects natural resources for the present and future generations,” the statement read. – Rappler.com