REHABILITATION works are ongoing on Segment 3A of the Metro Cebu Expressway (MCE) in the City of Naga, Cebu, a section previously sidelined by landslides and legal hurdles.
During a media visit on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, officials highlighted the scope of the 56.94-kilometer project. Launched in 2018, the expressway links the City of Naga in the south to Danao City in the north, serving as an alternative route to alleviate traffic congestion in Metro Cebu.
The 8.38-kilometer Segment 3 is divided into two sections: Segment 3A and Segment 3B.
According to the contractor’s site engineer, Segment 3A remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The engineer noted that rehabilitation for Segment 3A resumed around July 2025, following the lifting of a cease-and-desist order (CDO) issued in early 2024.
Segment 3A, a 4.55-kilometer stretch in Naga City, was originally constructed under a DPWH contract but suffered partial collapse due to landslides in October 2023. This led to the issuance of the CDO in February 2024.
In a February 8, 2024, report from SunStar Cebu, Engr. Mary Ann Bueno of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) informed then Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia that the portion of the project that collapsed had not been granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
An ECC is a document issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). It certifies that a proposed project complies with environmental laws and that all necessary management plans are integrated into the Environmental Impact Assessment.
In a separate report on February 24, 2024, Garcia informed DPWH Central Visayas (DPWH 7) that the Provincial Government would not lift the CDO until safety and hazard concerns regarding the October 2023 landslide were addressed.
Garcia also noted that the DPWH 7 and its contractor failed to apply for a quarry permit for soil excavation at the expressway site.
Once completed, the Metro Cebu Expressway is designed to improve connectivity between northern and southern Cebu while reducing traffic pressure on existing highways. (CDF)