TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the region will reassess the P4.59-billion Tacloban City Causeway Project after six of its eight contracts were terminated, with the agency looking at which portions can still be completed through rebidding or future funding.
The DPWH said a joint inventory inspection with the Commission on Audit (COA) will be conducted to validate the actual accomplishments under the terminated contracts and determine the remaining components that can be pursued.
One of the project’s eight contracts, funded under the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA), has already been completed.
The remaining active contract, meanwhile, has been suspended because of obstructions involving electric posts and perimeter fences along the road leading to the new Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport.
The DPWH said it is coordinating with the Leyte Electric Cooperative II (Leyeco II) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to clear the obstructions and allow construction and paving works to resume.
The agency said the results of the inventory and assessment will guide decisions on whether to rebid unfinished portions or seek funding under future national government appropriations.
Completed portions under the terminated contracts will also be maintained to prevent deterioration and preserve their structural integrity while the assessment and procurement processes are being undertaken.
The DPWH said succeeding works would comply with applicable technical, environmental and other regulatory requirements.
The 2.55-kilometer, four-lane causeway will cross Cancabato Bay and connect downtown Tacloban, particularly the City Hall area along Magsaysay Boulevard, to the DZR Airport area in San Jose District.
Construction formally began in February 2023.
The project was initially announced in 2022 with an estimated cost of P3.46 billion, including an initial P990-million allocation for a 586-meter section. Subsequent funding increased the total project cost to about P4.59 billion.
The causeway includes a road embankment, bridge section, concrete canals, bike lanes, sidewalks and wave deflectors.
It is intended to provide an alternative route between downtown Tacloban and the airport, potentially cutting travel time from about 45 minutes through existing roads to around five to 10 minutes.
The project is also expected to improve traffic flow, shorten travel distance and reduce vehicle operating costs, while providing additional protection against storm surges and other weather-related hazards.
The Regional Development Council has sought enhancements to the project, including tourism features, aesthetic improvements and additional facilities.
The project has also faced environmental concerns because it traverses Cancabato Bay, which has mangroves and other marine resources.
In 2023, the Tacloban City Council temporarily halted construction over environmental concerns before the suspension was lifted. The DPWH later said it was considering design revisions, including a longer bridge and other measures to address environmental concerns.
(JOEY A. GABIETA, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
