As the Davao Coastal Road Times Beach-Roxas segment, particularly the Bucana Bridge, has been completed, fisherfolk and residents alike in Barangay Bucana, Davao City weighed in on the infrastructure’s impact on their livelihood and daily lives. 

Prior to the project, Bucana’s beaches were part of an unrestricted, continuous coastline, but with the new infrastructure, boats can now be parked only in selected coastal areas, which made staging and maintenance difficult for fisherfolk.

10-year Bucana fisherfolk Virgilio Banquil commented on the difficulties fishermen are left to deal with due to the project’s implementation.

“Wala nay area karepair-an. Magpaabot pa ug low tide. Magdali-dali og repair pero mao lagi na maabtan pa og taob gihapon kay dili pa mugahi ang epoxy. Unlike sa una nga malahos jud sa yuta…lahos jud sa tugkaran, plastar gyud ang bangka,” he said.

The infrastructure project led to the restructuring of Bucana’s fishing community, whose fleets of bangka have been crowded into cramped, small harbors guarded by wave breakers.

“Gamay ug kulang [breaker]. Maghangin, magbalod…magbangga-bangga ang katig. Maoy maka-damage…unya mahal ra ba kaayo ang katig,” fisherman Edmund* also mentioned.

Banquil also emphasized that the creation of the bridge has led to the lack of opportunities to continue traditional fishing tactics, further noting the substantial decrease in their harvest with only fish left for daily catch; while crabs, shellfish, and shrimps have seemingly disappeared after the project has finished.

“Sa una, arang-arang ang among mga makuha. Karon ni-nihit na. Nanggamay na.  Sa una dira (pointing to a certain site*) baga kaayong pasayan among mga makuha. Daghan mi makuha mga crabs, shell ug shrimp sa una. Karon, isda na lang. Dili na makapahubas kay naay harang.”

13-year Bucana resident Enrique Fernandez also noted the impact of the construction activities on the community, as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) tagged the project as a big-ticket item to be given priority by the administration.

“Inig magabii, banha kaayo sa mga sakyanan. Kada gabii pud naga-dump ug dagkong bato. Murag maglinong, dagko kaayong mga bato,” he said.

Additionally, due to construction, residents have been displaced and are struggling to relocate, as others have no designated relocation site.

“Kana (pointing to the houses on-site*)…maguba gihapon na siya hantud didto. Gub-on gihapon na lukpon ug ingon ani (referring to road construction). Kanang mga balay dira karon na nakita nato, mawala na. Ang problema ana…wala pa sila gitagaan ug relocation site. Wala pay pahibalo ang gobyerno kung asa sila ibutang,” Fernandez added.

Consequently, resident Shiela Mae Mutya underscored that residents with assigned relocation sites face significant hurdles in the transitioning process due to government bureaucracy. 

“Naa sila’y relocation daw sa amoa pero didto sa Tugbok. Magbayad lang mi ato nga yuta, bale tax lang. Wala na mi niasa kay dugay kaayong proseso. Daghan kaayong rason…If ever lang i-demolish, naa lang jud unta mi’y mabalhinan,” Mutya said.

Community cites gains, calls gov’t support amid drastic changes 

Despite the impact of the project’s construction, many fisherfolk and residents still spoke of the benefits of the implementation of the coastal road, especially for its creation of public spaces.

Due to its coastal nature, Bucana ranks among Davao City’s most flood-prone areas; the project has given residents relief, serving its purpose as a seawall as DPWH originally intended.

“This Davao City Coastal Road Project will serve as [a] bypass road, a coastal shore protection and a breakwater that protects the city from sea wave actions, water surges and shore erosion,” former DPWH Secretary Roger Mercado said in 2022.

Alyas Eddie*, a resident in Bucana since the 1970s, welcomed the added security of the coastal road project in their community.

“Sa unang panahon diri, inig Agosto gyud, dagko ang balud diri. Musaka gyud ang tubig. Karon nga naa nay coastal road, nahimo jud siyang depensa para sa amoa. Nalipay pa nuon mi kay maka-exercise pa. Makaadto mi diri,” he said.

Mutya stated the same sentiment, adding that the project provides another layer of protection against the forces of the waters.

“Ang good effect kay pwede jud namo siya laagan. Sa una sad, mahadlok mi diri inig ulan-ulan. Karon, dili na kaayo mi mabalaka samot na ug naay banta nga tsunami o baha…naa na man nagapugong sa tubig.” 

Editor’s note: Names marked with asterisks are pseudonyms used at the request of the interviewees. This article was first issued in the January to May 2026 Second Semester Newsletter of Atenews.