CEBU CITY, Cebu, June 14 (PIA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways Region 7 (DPWH7) is targeting to build more big-ticket infrastructure projects in Central Visayas through the BuildBuildBuild program established under the Duterte Administration.

DPWH7 named several big-ticket projects to be constructed for the coming years which are expected to address the traffic problem, reduce travel time, improve road access, and enhance the economic activities in key areas in the region especially in Metro Cebu.

Among the proposed high-impact projects is the “4th bridge” that will connect the islands of Cebu and Mactan and is expected to ease traffic congestion in Metro Cebu.

DPWH7 is also eyeing to build the Talisay-Minglanilla-Naga Bypass which is a combination of skyway and viaduct inland, the Panglao-Tagbilaran Bridge that aims to lessen the travel time from Tagbilaran City and Municipality of Panglao in Bohol with target completion in year 2028 or 2029, and the Mandaue-Consolacion-Liloan Bypass which is also a big-ticket project in Cebu that is still under study.

But DPWH7 said the top flagship project that they are now focusing on is the construction of the Metro Cebu Expressway, a 73-km road traversing Naga City to Danao City in the province of Cebu.

It is a parallel road which is divided into three segments with target project completion in 2029.

Construction of the Naga to Minglanilla segment is now underway.

DPWH7 suggested that the two other segments will be implemented either through Private-Public Partnership (PPP) or foreign-assisted funds to shorten its construction period.

“The aggressiveness of the Duterte Administration to implement these big-ticket projects and to spend a huge amount for the early completion really redounds to faster transport of commodities of services, people from one place to another, safer and more comfortable travel. It really helped the economy, opportunities for business have improved and increased investments,” said DPWH7 Regional Director Edgar Tabacon during the Kapihan sa PIA interview on June 13.

In the previous years, the agency’s allocated budget for BuildBuildBuild in Central Visayas was increased from P15 billion to P37 billion where they are pushing to implement bigger high-impact projects, especially road network development, flood control projects, and slope protection measures.

“Infrastructure is the basic requirement for a nation to progress and grow. If you lay down all the infrastructure, then you are giving way to progress. Other developments will not come in without laying down first the infrastructure," added Tabacon. 

Despite all the challenges they are facing in terms of project implementation, the engineering and construction arm of the government vowed to pursue all infrastructure developments, as the BuildBuildBuild program is one of the priority advocacies and centerpiece programs of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

“We have a lot of shortcomings but we will continue to strive hard to really fulfill our mandate and serve the public," said Tabacon. (RGC/PIA7)