The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) continues to reap awards both locally and internationally with its most recent win as the overall winner and bridge category winner at the 4th Philippine Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards (PECCA) held in Clark, Pampanga, on April 4, 2024.

This is CCLEX’s second PECCA award after last year’s win in the infrastructure category. By being the 2024 PECCA overall winner, CCLEX will be the official Philippine nominee to the American Concrete Institute (ACI) international competition happening in Pennsylvania in November 2024.

The construction of the bridge began in July 2018. It used over 185,000 cubic meters of concrete and 33,000 kilograms of steel with concrete mix designs following the principles of sustainability, durability, timeliness and localization. Built by the Cebu Link Joint Venture (CLJV) composed of Acciona Construction Philippines, First Balfour and DMCI, the 8.9- kilometer bridge opened to traffic in April 2022 and now connects mainland Cebu to Mactan Island.

To manage the volume of concrete used during the project, CLJV and project developer Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation brought together the greatest minds from across multiple disciplines to find solutions to design and construction challenges. It took into consideration designing around local livelihood activities and environmental protection, ensuring lives were enriched and not halted. And in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and super typhoon Odette, which devastated Cebu in December 2021, the project was completed in record time.

Organized by ACI Philippines and the Philippine Constructors Association, PECCA aims to recognize outstanding concrete projects in the country that highlight innovation and technology.

In 2023, CCLEX took home the Innovation in Construction award at the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) Project and Technology Awards, considered the “Nobel Prize for structural engineering,” held in Zurich, Switzerland.

The bridge bested infrastructures such as Lvzhijang Bridge and YOHO Hub’s Rotational Bridge in China, Strategic Business Innovation Research Circular Overpass in the Netherlands and Tadeno No. 2 Bridge in Japan.

This recent success of CCLEX in both the PECCA and IABSE Awards is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the engineers, architects and construction teams involved in delivering the project safely and with quality. As it continues to gain international recognition, the landmark bridge stands as a proud testament to the innovative spirit and engineering prowess of the Philippines, paving the way for future projects of similar ambition and scale.

(Story/Photos by:Dolly Pasia-Ramos)