The Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has announced completion of approximately 1.3km of tunnel civil works for the 2.3km twin tube, double-lane road mountain tunnel project in Davao City.

This tunnel component is the central part of the 45.5km-long Davao City Bypass Construction Project.

The Special Terms for Economic Partnership Loan signed between Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Government of the Philippines is providing funding for the PHP13.23bn ($237m) ongoing contract package 1-1.

Work on the ongoing tunnel in the southbound and northbound direction includes steel ribs installation, drilling, rockbolts installation, shotcrete works for excavation face, tunnel excavation, wiremesh and final shotcrete.

DPWH Senior Under-secretary Emil Sadain said: “The centrepiece of contract package 1-1 of Davao City Bypass Construction Project, the length of dug tunnels on northbound and southbound directions of the north portal is at 625m and 676m, respectively, while accomplishment at the south portal is 678m northbound and 620m southbound.”

The contract package 1-1 also includes construction of three pairs of bridges, 12 box culvert (waterway), two underpasses, four lanes port-land concrete cement pavement road, four at grade road crossings and two overpasses.

The Davao City Bypass Construction Project aims to improve congestion as well as the transport logistics in the city.