MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon (PIA)—The Malaybalay-Gingoog bypass road, which connects the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental is set to be completed soon by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Northern Mindanao.
Regional Director Zenaida T. Tan of DPWH-10 said the project is now 84.23 percent complete based on the total cost.
“This bypass road will significantly contribute to improving the supply-chain connectivity by providing linkage to farmers and industries. With this, farmers and local residents will now be able to easily transport agricultural products from one place to another,” she said.
This will also allow quick mobilization of the Armed Forces to address the existing armed conflict within the road influence area on socio-economic development, she added.
Tan explained that this project is a two-lane road that stretches 125.42 kilometers that will serve as an alternate route between the two cities without passing through the congested Sayre Highway and the Butuan City-Cagayan de Oro City-Iligan City Road (BCIR).
It will traverse the scenic lands in the 1st Legislative District (LD) of Misamis Oriental, crossing barangays Santiago, Bal-ason, Dalway and Hindangon of Gingoog City; the 2nd LD of Misamis Oriental through Sitio Kalhaan in Claveria: Barangay Bulonay, Sitio Ulayanon, Barangays Kalabugao and Mintupad all in Impasugong town in the 2nd LD of Bukidnon, passing through barangays Can-ayan, Kibalabag and Manalog of Malaybalay City.
The project’s construction started in 2015 and has received partial releases each year totaling P7,643,714,000.00 from 2015 to 2022 funded through the General Appropriations Act.
The total estimated budget to complete the project is P8.1 billion.
This Inter-Provincial Road Network is expected to stimulate agricultural economic growth and facilitate mobilization of the government's program in support of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), resulting in improved peace and order in the two interconnected provinces and their neighboring towns.
President Ferdinand "Bong-Bong" Marcos, who also serves as Agriculture Secretary, earlier directed the DPWH to prioritize infrastructure projects that will link with the farming sector in order to alleviate food crisis. With this improved accessibility, potential markets are expected to see higher farm gate prices for produce, as well as upgraded land values.
On the aesthetic side, traveling along the cited route will keep you captivated more by the stunning mountain scenery, vast agricultural land, and abundant flow of natural water, all of which add up to the development of potential tourism sites and encourage investors from across the globe.
As the project continues, residents ignite hope for a brighter future, improved livelihood, and income, and overcome challenges despite the distance. (DPWH-10/PIA-10/Bukidnon)
