THE Department of Finance (DoF) said on Thursday that the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded road and bridge projects in Mindanao are on track to be completed on schedule.
In a statement, the DoF said it found that the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP) to be on schedule following an inspection conducted with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the ADB.
The $491.32-million project aims to expand the capacity of the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area road network.
This is expected to the unlock economic potential of Mindanao, it said.
The DoF said the ADB provided $380 million for the project, alongside government counterpart spending of $111.32 million.
The IGCMRSP includes the R.T. Lim–Siocon Road that traverses Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte.
The 4.6-kilometer road project is currently 95% complete and is scheduled to be opened by September.
“The DoF also visited the Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge No. 1, another subproject, in Tawi-Tawi Province, which spans 380.8 meters with a 160-meter approach road. The bridge has a total length of 541 meters,” it said.
Nalil-Sikkiat No. 1 will link Bongao Island to Sanga-Sanga Island and ease the transport of goods, services, and people.
The bridge is 96% complete and is scheduled to be opened to the public next month. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante