A DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official said the 45.5-kilometer Davao City Bypass Project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
During the Kapihan forum on June 10, Engr. Benjamin Bautista, DPWH project director, said the project is on pace to be opened to the public if there are no further issues encountered.
“For the whole bypass project, we are confident enough that it will be completed by the end of 2027. The overall completion is now at around 22%,” Bautista said.
Bautista said the project is currently facing right-of-way (ROW) issues. For instance, they only settled 41% of the 887 lots consisting of 320 hectares of residential, forested, and commercial that will be affected by the project.
“The remaining portion is in progress as there are lot owners who refuse to accept. There are three kinds of acquisition: by donation, then negotiation, kung hindi po talaga magkakasundo, pupunta po tayo sa court, that is expropriation. We will exercise the power of eminent domain,” he said.
He explained that the appraisal of the project was done way back in 2015 and the cause of ROW back then was very cheap.
“However, here comes the BIR Appraisal 2021, the price becomes ten times. The major problem here is there are many lot owners that don’t have documentation, hindi nagbabayad ng taxes,” he added.
The P46.8 billion, JICA-funded (Japan International Cooperation Agency), which formally commenced in 2019, is divided into six packages. So far, four packages are ongoing while the remaining are in the process of contracting and procurement.
The tunnel portion (Contract Package I-1) is now 50% upon completion, while the 10-diameter tunnel itself is already 80% complete, including excavation, concrete lining, and electro-mechanical, and will be set to be completed by 2026. The tunnel is set to accommodate two lanes.
The roads, the 31 bridges with an aggregate total of four kilometers, and drainage, with underpass and overpass, are still under construction.
Bautista shared that the department is eyeing partial operations of the project as vehicles can use the tunnel, which connects Davao-Bukidnon Road and Mandug Road.
“We need the Japanese technology so that we can minimize the destruction or effect on it with the environment,” Bautista added.
The Davao City Bypass Construction Project starts in Barangay Sirawan, Toril, Davao City, ending in J.P. Laurel, Panabo City. The project will cut the usual travel time of 1 hour and 45 minutes down to 44 minutes.
Meanwhile, the Davao City Expressway, which is part of the DPWH master plan, will connect the Davao Coastal Road, Davao Bypass Road, and the Samal Island-Davao City Connector.
Photo: DPWH XI
