The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening infrastructure development in the country through its robust partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), following a high-level meeting with Japanese parliamentarians on August 27, 2025.
DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, who oversees infrastructure flagship projects funded through official development assistance, expressed deep appreciation on behalf of Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan to the Japanese delegation. He emphasized that continued collaboration with Japan, through JICA, is steadily bringing significant improvements to the nation’s infrastructure in line with the Bagong Pilipinas vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“Through the partnership with the government of Japan through JICA, we are seeing tangible progress for a future-ready Philippines such as the Davao City Bypass Construction Project, which includes the country’s first long-distance road tunnel system at 2.3 kilometers, constructed through mountainous terrain that is reshaping the infrastructure landscape of the Philippines,” Sadain said.
The Japanese delegation at the roundtable meeting held at Hotel Okura Manila was led by Obuchi Yuko, chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of JICA and member of the House of Representatives. She was joined by six other members of the Parliamentary League: Takeuchi Yuzuru, Nakatani Shinichi, Suzuki Takako, Kaneko Emi, Ejima Kiyoshi, and Sakurai Shu.
Also present were Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya, JICA Senior Vice President Oba Yuichi, and JICA Philippines Chief Representative Baba Takashi.
Other Philippine government officials in attendance included Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Ronnie Gavan, Department of Economy, Planning and Development Undersecretary Joseph Capuno, and Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Rolando Toledo.
During the meeting, Sadain presented updates on 21 JICA-assisted projects under the DPWH portfolio.
These include five completed projects costing ₱61.468 billion: the Program for the Support to the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Marawi City (Grant Aid), the Road Upgrading and Preservation Project, the Flood Risk Management Projects for the Cagayan, Tagoloan and Imus Rivers, the Flood Risk Management Project for the Cagayan de Oro River, and the Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase III.
Six projects with a total value of ₱188.75 billion are under construction. These include the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project Phase IV, the Central Luzon Link Expressway Phase I, the Davao City Bypass Construction Project, the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Management Program, the Road Network Development Project in Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao, and the Metro Manila Priority Bridges for Seismic Improvement (Guadalupe and Lambingan Bridges).
Three projects with a total cost of ₱147.82 billion are moving toward civil works, such as the Cebu-Mactan 4th Bridge and Coastal Road, with detailed engineering design completed. The detailed engineering design of the proposed Dalton Pass East Alignment Road is under procurement and targeted to commence in 2026. Updating the detailed engineering design for the Metro Manila Interchange Construction Project Phase VI is also a priority.
Meanwhile, seven new projects with a tentative cost of ₱525.365 billion are under various stages of preparatory and feasibility study, detailed engineering design, ICC Technical Board evaluation, and loan processing.
Proposed new initiatives under JICA cooperation include the Parañaque Spillway/Tunnel Project (feasibility study completed); the 2nd San Juanico Bridge Project (ongoing feasibility study and preparatory survey under a grant); the EDSA Transport Road Network Rehabilitation Project (for feasibility study and design updating); the Central Mindanao High Standard Highway Construction Project (11.73-kilometer Cagayan de Oro-Malaybalay section); the Davao City Flood Control and Drainage Project (ongoing preparatory study); the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project Phase VI (ongoing technical grant study); and the Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, Improvement and Operation & Maintenance of Kennon Road (ongoing pre-feasibility study).
With infrastructure at the forefront of Japan’s continued support for the Philippines’ development agenda, the strategic collaboration between JICA, DPWH and other government agencies will play a key role in delivering resilient and sustainable projects under the “Build Better More” program.
