TACLOBAN CITY — The San Juanico Rotonda project in Barangay 97, Cabalawan is nearing completion and is poised to become a prominent landmark and key traffic solution along the San Juanico Bridge corridor by June 2026.
According to Engineer Cesar Gabriola of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 8, the project is now 96 percent complete, with only four percent of work remaining. Once finished, the rotunda is expected to serve as both a functional traffic improvement and a symbolic gateway to Tacloban City.
Gabriola assured the public that recent inspections confirmed the structure remains stable and free from any structural damage.
He noted that most of the remaining work is concentrated near the NitroFuel area. However, construction has faced challenges involving a cross drainage box culvert after some waterways were reportedly occupied by nearby property owners.
The DPWH is currently coordinating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to verify the exact locations of the affected waterways.
The development comes amid ongoing rehabilitation works on the San Juanico Bridge, which underwent load restrictions earlier this year. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed optimism that the bridge will be fully operational again by mid-2026, with its original 33-ton load capacity restored.
(LANCE GABRIEL G. EÑTERESO, LNU STUDENT INTERN)
