The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has fully completed the PHP2.12-billion Tacloban City Bypass Road after seven years of construction.

President Rodrigo Duterte and DPWH Acting Secretary Roger Mercado led late Thursday the unveiling of the project marker to formally inaugurate the 6.405-kilometer bypass road.

In a statement, Mercado lauded the DPWH regional office here for implementing this road project, overcoming obstacles.

“We are proud of the successful implementation of the Tacloban City Bypass Road, a significant project added to the Duterte Legacy,” Mercado said.

The project involved the opening of the road, including four-lane and six-lane roadway, construction of drainage, and slope protection structures.

The 6.4-kilometer bypass road starts at Nula-Tula village and ends at Caibaan village.

The road is seen to improve the accessibility of the road network and increase the development potential of less populated communities.

The city’s Maharlika Highway forms part of the Eastern Nautical Highway, which connects Eastern Visayas to Luzon and Mindanao.

DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Allan Borromeo said the PHP2.12 billion road project started in February 2015.

The original completion target was April 2017 but was not realized due to road right-of-way acquisition issues, prompting the DPWH to adjust the project cost to PHP924.55 million from the original PHP542.48 million.

Joining the inauguration were Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, House of Representatives Majority Leader and Leyte 1st district Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez. (PNA)