MindaNews fact-checked the post of Facebook user Dinagat Islands Philippines that a bridge connecting the province of Dinagat Islands in Mindanao to Leyte in the Visayas will be constructed. It is a misleading claim as the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to approve the project.
In a post on Facebook last April 6, Dinagat Islands Philippines said: “A long-span bridge with a distance of 28 km will also be constructed to connect Tubajon in Dinagat to Anahawan in Leyte part of Surigao City-Nonoc Island-Dinagat-Leyte Road Network as the top three priority programs and projects (PAPs) of the region which includes the with a budget of over P167 billion [sic].”
This is misleading. There is no approved plan yet by the national government to construct such a bridge.
Dinagat Islands Philippines’ post was culled from a report about the proposed bridge project.
However, the post omitted the information that RDC-Caraga is still seeking the President’s approval of the project.
The Regional Development Council-Caraga will still present the proposal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a meeting with RDC chairpersons in April 2024 (no specific date was given).
The proposal for the presentation for the construction of a bridge from Dinagat to Leyte was announced during the Joint Caraga Regional Development Council Full Council – Advisory Committee Meeting in Butuan City in March this year.
In case the proposed project is approved by the President and included in his proposed annual budget, it needs approval by Congress for it to be given an allocation under the General Appropriations Act as prescribed by the country’s budgeting process based on the requirements of the Constitution.
Gemima A. Olam, National Economic Development Authority – Caraga director, said the P167-billion infrastructure project will address limited access to transportation and investment opportunities, as well as high inflation rate owing to “soaring inter-island transportation costs.”
As of 2:15 p.m. on April 15, the post generated 2,260 reactions, 348 comments, and 873 shares.
Dinagat Islands Philippines has 9,900 followers as of the same date.
As with all our other reports, MindaNews welcomes leads or suggestions from the public to potential fact-check stories. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno / MindaNews)