Excavation of Philippines longest tunnel road done by Q2

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) expects to finish the excavation works of what would become the longest tunnel in the Philippines by the second quarter of the year.

Public Works Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain yesterday said the tunneling leg of the Davao City Bypass Construction Project is close to completion as of January.

“A tunnel breakthrough – a long-awaited event which brings to an end the most critical phase of tunneling – is expected by the second quarter of 2025,” Sadain said.

As of January, the DPWH has completed 95 percent of the excavation works in the northbound tunnel and 85 percent of the southbound segment.

The road mountain tunnel features two separate tubes for northbound and southbound traffic. This twin tunnel is crucial for cutting through the mountainous terrain, providing a direct and safer route for motorists.

Recently, officials from the DPWH and the embassy of Japan visited the site of the tunnel to witness the progress made by the contractors.

On Monday, Sadain and Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo inspected the progress of the construction.

They were accompanied by the ambassador’s wife, Akiko, Consul-General of Japan in Davao Yoshihisa Ishikawa, 1st Secretary Kurihara Shinobu, 2nd Secretary Akito Kinoshita and 3rd Secretary Ryouske Saka.

The project, financed by the Japanese government, will run for 45.5 kilometers, featuring a 2.3-kilometer tunnel, the longest in the Philippines.

Once the project is completed, it is expected to reduce travel time between Toril, Davao City and Panabo City to 49 minutes, from nearly two hours right now.

The project, costing P46.8 billion, is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and it is listed as a priority infrastructure of the Marcos administration. — Evelyn Macairan