Vice President Sara Duterte clarified that it was former President Rodrigo Duterte who secured the Chinese government funding for the Davao River Bridge in Bucana—after the project resurfaced in public discussions during President Bongbong Marcos’ recent visit to Davao City, where he labeled it as one of his legacy projects.
Speaking to reporters outside The Hague on December 3, the vice president explained that the bridge had originally been planned as part of the Davao City Coastal Road but lacked funding.
“The coastal road has a budget, but the bridge is unfunded, and it was made known at that time to former president Duterte that the bridge is unfunded, and he was the one who looked for its funding, so when he found the funding source for it, negotiations and planning began as well as the paperwork for its construction,” she said.
She also expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for financing the project at no cost to both the national and local governments, noting that the bridge will serve as a vital connection between the southern and northern parts of Davao City.