THE Davao City Bypass Project’s 2.3-kilometer twin-tube mountain road tunnel — the first of its kind in the Philippines — achieved full connectivity on August 29, 2025, with both its northbound and southbound tubes successfully linked. Serving as the centerpiece of Contract Package 1-1, the tunnel is part of the 45.5-kilometer Davao City Bypass Project, a flagship infrastructure initiative under the Build Better More program.
The ceremony, held at the South Portal in Barangay Waan, was led by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain and Undersecretary Eric A. Ayapana, alongside Japanese diplomats and representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
Sadain, delivering the message of DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, hailed the achievement as “a critical step toward the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s goal of enhanced regional connectivity and national development.”
“We are grateful for the unwavering support of the Government of Japan through Jica, whose official development assistance has been instrumental in achieving this milestone,” Sadain said. He added that the project “strongly proves the national government’s steadfast mission and commitment to Build Better More.”
The tunnel breakthrough follows the completion of the northbound tunnel excavation in April 2025.
Civil works began in December 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Contract Package 1-1, awarded to the Shimizu–Ulticon–Takenaka Joint Venture, also includes 10.7 kilometers of four-lane highway, three bridges, two underpasses, and six access roads. It is currently 61 percent complete and on track for October 2026 completion.
The entire bypass project, funded through Jica loans and Philippine government support, is expected to be fully operational by 2028.
Once completed, it will drastically reduce travel time between Toril and Panabo City from nearly two hours to just 49 minutes, easing congestion in Davao City’s urban core.
To commemorate the achievement, Japanese officials performed the traditional Kagami Wari, a sake barrel-breaking ceremony symbolizing harmony and good fortune.
Despite challenging weather and geotechnical conditions, the DPWH reaffirmed its commitment to finishing the project within the Marcos administration’s term, emphasizing its role in driving economic growth and regional integration across Mindanao.
Earlier this year, DPWH emphasized to Davao media who personally visited the site that the successful connection of the 2.3-kilometer twin-tube mountain road tunnel marks a significant milestone in the ongoing Davao City Bypass Project.
With excavation on both the northbound and southbound tubes now completed, the project is set to transition from its most challenging phase to interior works, allowing construction to advance more rapidly toward full completion.
This breakthrough signifies that engineers can now focus on tunnel lining, waterproofing, ventilation systems, and other critical installations to prepare the structure for eventual testing and commissioning.
DPWH said this achievement not only demonstrates progress on a highly technical engineering feat but also reflects strong momentum toward meeting the bypass project’s completion target. DEF