Philippines: Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project and Tranche 1

OBJECTIVE

To contribute to efficiency improvements of road travel in Bataan, Cavite, and the National Capital Region.

DESCRIPTION

The Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project (“BCIB Project”) comprises about 32.15 kilometer (km) fixed crossing over Manila Bay, consisting of (i) 2 climate-resilient cable-stayed navigation bridges with main spans of 900 and 400 meters (m) connecting Mariveles, Bataan to Naic, Cavite; (ii) 24 km of marine viaducts; and (iii) 8 km of approach roads. It will include a U-turn facility near the Corregidor Island for future connection. It also includes a capacity building program to ensure adequate capacity of the government in operation and maintenance (O&M) and management of the BCIB and future large and complex bridges. A tourist center and supporting facilities will also be established at the north approach of BCIB to enhance tourism in Bataan Province and Corregidor Island. The BCIB Project is expected to be financed in three tranches.

Tranche 1 (the “Project”) will finance a segment of the civil works and consultancy service components involving the navigation bridges, marine viaducts, and approach roads.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INFORMATION

Applicable Policy and Categorization: The Project, as part of the BCIB Project, will be co-financed with ADB as lead co-financier. Therefore, the environmental and social (ES) risks and impacts are being assessed in accordance with ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS). To ensure a harmonized approach to addressing the ES risks and impacts of the BCIB Project, and as permitted under AIIB’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), ADB’s SPS will apply to the BCIB Project in lieu of AIIB’s ESP. AIIB has reviewed ADB’s SPS and is satisfied that: (a) it is consistent with AIIB’s Articles of Agreement and materially consistent with the provisions of AIIB’s ESP, including the Environmental and Social Exclusion List (ESEL) and the relevant Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs); and (b) the monitoring procedures that are in place are appropriate for the BCIB Project. ADB has categorized the ES risks of the BCIB Project as Category A for Environment, A for Involuntary Resettlement and C for Indigenous Peoples (which are equivalent to Category A if AIIB’s ESP were applicable). The category is based on risks due to large-scale construction activities and significant impacts on marine ecosystems and displacement of the project-affected peoples (PAP).

Environment and Social instruments. An Initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted from 2019–2021 in parallel with the feasibility study and preliminary design process. This EIA was then updated based on detailed design from and the draft report was disclosed in the ADB and DPWH websites in July 2023 followed by the Final EIA in November 2023. In compliance with the Philippine Presidential Decree No. 1586, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) report was also prepared and submitted to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in February 2021 and Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) was obtained for the BCIB project on 25 April 2021.

An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and an Environmental Monitoring plan (EMoP) have been formulated to mitigate and monitor the negative impacts during various phases (preconstruction, construction and operation) of the project to acceptable levels. The EMP is supplemented by detailed sub-plans including Traffic Management Plans, Social Development Plan and IEC Framework, as well as an emergency preparedness and response framework that address key impacts/risks of the BCIB Project. In addition, a standalone Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) has been prepared, which will continue to be updated throughout the pre-construction phase. On social aspect, a Resettlement Framework (RF) was prepared to provide guidance in the preparation of a Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan (LARP) for the proposed BCIB Project. The RF sets out requirements in terms of standards, entitlements, and practices to be applied by the GoP to ensure that involuntary resettlement impacts caused by the BCIB Project are appropriately assessed and mitigated. Subsequently, a LARP has been prepared for the BCIB Project. The LARP has adequately addressed most of the issues for mitigating the social impacts, including the loss of shelter and income, and has proposed relocation and income restoration. Information about the BCIB Project has been disclosed and adequate consultations with the stakeholders have taken place and this exercise will be continued throughout the project cycle.

Environmental Aspect. The BCIB Project is anticipated to yield environmental benefits on a regional basis, notably reducing air pollution from traffic congestion in the larger Metro Manila area. However, environmental impacts within the project corridor are expected to be significant in construction phase, albeit temporary, in the absence of mitigation measures. Therefore, robust ES instruments have been prepared. Given the extent of the construction works, temporary impacts on the marine environment are anticipated. There are no protected areas or key biodiversity areas in the near vicinity of the project corridor, however there are two locally managed marine protected areas found within 10km of the project alignment. In addition to the marine protected areas, a number of potential endangered species were identified and therefore a Critical Habitat Assessment (CIA) is under preparation. The EIA, EMP and Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) caters for the potential ecological impacts with respective mitigation measure and monitoring plans outlined. In the operational stage, given that the Manila Bay area is considered to be an important bird area for migratory species, a Bird Management Plan will be formulated addressing potential impacts associated with collision risk with the bridge. During the construction phase, water quality impacts associated with works for the foundations such as dredging and piling are anticipated, especially with respect to sedimentation. To that end these impacts have been assessed and mitigated with construction phasing and measures such as silt curtains. Noise and air quality impacts have also been assessed in both the construction and operational phase, with noise barriers to be installed as required. Throughout the Construction and Operations phases the EMP should be followed by the implementation agency and contractors to ensure impacts are properly mitigated and monitored.

Social Aspect. The involuntary resettlement impacts are likely to be significant. ADB has classified the BCIB Project as Category A for involuntary resettlement. Involuntary resettlement is anticipated in the BCIB Project due to land acquisition. It will require land acquisition in Package 1 (Barangays Alas-asin and Mt. View) and Package 2 (Barangays Timalan-Concepcion and Timalan-Balsahan), with more land needed on the Bataan side. The affected lands are mostly agricultural, and there are some residential, commercial, industrial, and other types of lands (e.g., private roads, mixed-use development, beach land, railroad, residential-agricultural, and open space subdivisions). Furthermore, the land acquisition will have impact on residential and commercial structures, community and institutional structures, trees and plants, and existing roads and easements. It will result in the displacement of households, business owners, and workers, with more PAP expected in the Cavite land side. In addition, the impacts and risks associated with labour influx have also been assessed. The EMP includes guidance to prepare a Workers’ Accommodation Management Plan and to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The provisions will be incorporated into the tender documents.

Gender aspects. ADB has categorized the BCIB Project as effective gender mainstreaming. A project is assigned effective gender mainstreaming as the BCIB Project outputs are designed to directly improve women’s access to social services, and/or economic and financial resources and opportunities, and/or basic rural and urban infrastructure, and/or enhancing voices and rights, which contribute to gender equality and women's empowerment. There is a positive correlation between the influx of male construction workers and the rise in GBV-SEAH (Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment) cases in construction sites when there are no mitigation measures to protect women and children. As major civil works are involved, there is the possibility of occurrence of GBV-SEAH in project site and surrounding areas. A Gender Assessment and Action Plan (GAAP) has been prepared to enable effective gender mainstreaming under the BCIB Project.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Monitoring. There will be occupational health and safety (OHS) and road safety risks during construction and operations phase. Typical with any large infrastructure project, construction risks such as working at height, hazards from falling debris, working over water as well as numerous other typical risks will be present, whilst in the operational phase key risks will be present for maintenance staff working at height and working in the vicinity of roads. As part of the EIA, the EMP within contains templates to guide the contractor in forming an OHS Management Plan and Traffic Management Plan. These management plans should form a key part of the Contractor Environmental Management and Monitoring Action Plan (CEMMAP) which will detail the actions that the contractor has to follow to comply with international standard OHS requirements. In addition, during the project implementation, an independent third-party agency or consultants will be hired to proceed with the monitoring of ES performance. Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will prepare semi-annual ES monitoring reports for the Bank’s review. The Bank’s ES Specialists will carry out regular field-based ES monitoring missions together with ADB as part of the project implementation supervision mission.

Project Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). The BCIB Project has established a project-level GRM to receive and resolve project-related grievances in accordance with the requirements of ADB’s SPS. A GRM should be accessible and applicable to all members of the public and entities within the project's area of influence and can be expected to address their concerns and complaints. Locally appropriate public consultation and disclosure processes are used to disseminate information about the GRM. The information on the GRM and ADB’s independent accountability mechanism (IAM) is also included in the EIA, LARP, and other ES documents and disseminated to PAP. The EIA includes appropriate measures to manage the complaints raised by workers. Complaints raised by workers will be handled by this project GRM.