THE Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) bared that the Davao City Bypass Construction Project (DCBCP) is expected to be fully operational by 2028.
Engr. Joselito Reyes, the project manager, said that the bypass is divided into six construction packages, each with a different start date, which affects their completion timelines. Despite this, each package is projected to take approximately three years to complete.
“Ang duration po talaga ng each project is three years, we will count mga 2028 kasi iba-iba ang kanyang starting day (The actual duration of each project is three years. We're estimating completion around 2028 because each one started at a different time.),” he said.
Reyes said the varying schedules push the full completion of the entire project to around 2028. Construction teams are now nearing completion of Package I-1, which began on December 21, 2020. Package I-2 started on December 10, 2024, and Package I-3 began on December 18, 2023. Package II-1 started on January 24, 2023, followed by Package II-2 on August 10, 2023. Meanwhile, Package II-3 is still undergoing procurement for civil works.
The project’s funding comes from both international and national sources.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is financing Packages I-1 to I-3 through loan agreements, while the Philippine government is funding Packages II-1 to II-3.
A key feature of the project is the twin mountain tunnels under Package I-1. As of May 31, 2025, construction progress for this segment had reached nearly 60 percent. While the original completion target for the tunnels was January 2024, the revised deadline is now set for May 30, 2026.
Package I-1 includes a four-lane road, bridges, box culverts for drainage, at-grade intersections, underpasses, overpasses, and the two tunnels. Excavation of the northbound tunnel was completed in March 2025, allowing road paving and finishing works to begin.
Meanwhile, workers still need to excavate 117 meters of the southbound tunnel, with both ends expected to connect by July or August this year. These tunnels are projected to be operational by late 2026 or early 2027.
Reyes added that most of the required land for the project has been acquired, with 99 percent of the right-of-way for the tunnel portion already secured. However, they encountered minor collapses in the final 100 meters of the southbound tunnel, which contributed to some delays.
Regarding safety, particularly with earthquakes, Shimizu Corporation’s project director Engr. Arkira Mito assured that the tunnel was designed with seismic considerations in mind. Since the tunnels are inside a mountain, they are less affected by surface-level seismic activity and are expected to move uniformly. Mito also confirmed that the tunnel route was carefully studied during the design phase to avoid any known active fault lines.
Once completed, the DCBCP will stretch 45.5 kilometers, connecting Barangay Sirawan in Toril, Davao City, to Barangay J.P. Laurel in Panabo City. Travel time along this route is expected to be cut from the current 1 hour and 11 minutes via Maharlika Highway to just 49 minutes.
Private vehicles can use the bypass road, but the DPWH has not yet decided whether to allow buses, trucks, and public utility vehicles.
Once operational, the project will boast the country’s longest mountain road tunnels, each spanning 2.3 kilometers. RGP