A Portion of Davao City Bypass Road’s Will Be the Philippines’ First Long-Distance Mountain Tunnel

You might have already heard about the country’s longest beach located in Palawan. But did you know that very soon, we’ll also all get to see the first-ever long-distance mountain tunnel in the Philippines?

Set to be part of the 10.7- kilometre portion of the Davao City Bypass Road Project, the tunnel will stretch up to 2.3 kilometres through Davao City in Mindanao. The construction will be spearheaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“The Contract, which was signed on October 29 between the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Joint Venture of Shimizu Corporation, Ulticon Builders Inc., and Takenaka Civil Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd., signals the start of the implementation of Contract Package I-1 for the first 10.7 kilometers (including the tunnel portion) of the planned 45.5 kilometers of bypass road,” shared JICA Philippines in an official announcement.

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The mountain tunnel in the Philippines will offer shorter travel time and Japanese technology in Davao

Upon completion, the road project will shorten the travel time between Barangay Sirawan in Davao City and Barangay J.P. Laurel in Panabo City to just 49 minutes. Currently, it takes one hour and 44 minutes via the Pan-Philippine Highway Diversion Road.

According to JICA Philippines, the construction of the four-lane mountain tunnel in the Philippines will also use advanced excavation techniques and other tunneling technologies from Japan. “The Philippines is poised to benefit not only from the use of such pioneering facility but also in the knowledge and technology transfer between Japanese and Filipino engineers and workers,” the agency added.

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Moreover, the 45.5-kilometre Davao City Bypass Road will be divided into six segments or packages. The longest package measures 12.8 kilometres. It will start construction after the first segment which contains the much-awaited long-distance mountain tunnel in the Philippines. The entire project’s construction will take three years.

JICA Philippines likewise said that the project will improve the transport and logistics network in the region. “[It will] generate additional businesses and jobs, and boost the economic recovery of the country as part of the Build Build Build program of the Government of the Philippines.”

Featured image credit: JICA Philippines | Official Facebook Page