THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced that it will intensify construction efforts on the twin-tube tunnels of the 45.5-kilometer Davao City Bypass Construction Project, as the southbound tunnel nears its breakthrough phase.
DPWH Senior Undersecretary Manuel M. Bonoan said that the 2.3-kilometer northbound tunnel has already achieved breakthrough and is currently undergoing technical refinements. Meanwhile, the southbound tunnel is only 32 meters away from the breakthrough phase. He stated that they expect this to occur in the third quarter of 2025.
“These intensified measures are designed to ensure ground stability, construction safety, and overall project resilience,” he said on July 18, 2025.
The DPWH reported that Contract Package I-1 has reached 60.64 percent physical completion. This segment includes a 7.9-kilometer four-lane road; three pairs of bridges totaling 500 meters in length including the Davao River Bridge; two underpasses; two overpasses; 12 box culverts; and four at-grade intersections.
Once completed, the twin tunnels will be the longest mountain tunnel system in the Philippines.
If the Davao City Bypass Construction Project is completed as planned, it will connect the Davao-Digos section of the Maharlika Highway to the Davao-Agusan National Highway in Panabo City.
This connection is expected to improve regional mobility and reduce travel time between Panabo and Davao City, as well as nearby cities, municipalities, and surrounding areas.
The project is jointly funded by the Philippine Government and the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) through Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Loan Agreements PH-P261, PH-P273, and PH-P282.
DPWH-Davao earlier stated that the project is expected to be fully operational by 2028.
The project is divided into six construction packages, each with a different start date, which affects the overall completion timelines. Despite this, each package is projected to take approximately three years to complete. RGP