DPWH Targets March 2026 Opening for Tuganay Bridge Northbound Lanes
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has confirmed that construction on the Tuganay Bridge in Carmen, Davao del Norte is progressing steadily, with the northbound lanes scheduled to open by the end of March 2026. In a Facebook post on March 5, 2026, the agency stated that the project remains on track to meet this deadline, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s nationwide directive to expedite major infrastructure works. This initiative is part of broader efforts in the Davao Region to enhance traffic flow and support local economic development.
Audit Ordered Amid Delays and Corruption Allegations
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon has mandated a comprehensive audit of infrastructure projects experiencing delays, cost overruns, and public complaints. During a press conference with Davao media on September 25, 2025, at the agency's Engineering Office in Panacan, Davao City, Dizon specifically requested a detailed report on the Tuganay Bridge, which has become emblematic of government inefficiency and corruption in the region. He warned that the audit would hold all responsible parties accountable and highlighted systemic corruption within the DPWH as a core issue behind project setbacks.
The P516-million bridge, which began construction nearly five years ago, has faced multiple delays. According to DPWH-Davao spokesperson Dean Ortiz in a 2023 interview, the first phase was completed in 2021, but progress slowed when funds were excluded from the national budget in 2022. Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib has urged Second District Representative Allan Dujali to prioritize the bridge, as it falls under the congressman's development initiatives. The project is expected to be fully completed in 2025 after all four phases are finished.
Phases and Structural Upgrades of the Bridge Project
Ortiz explained the phased approach to the Tuganay Bridge construction. Phase 1 involved the removal of the southbound lane, while Phase 2 focused on constructing the substructure, including posts, board piling, and foundations. Phases 3 and 4 will apply the same steps to the northbound lane. Once complete, the bridge will replace the old four-lane steel structure with a wider, more durable concrete bridge, aiming to improve safety and traffic capacity in the area.
Broader Corruption Scandals Uncovered in Davao Infrastructure
The announcement comes amid nationwide DPWH inspections that have revealed significant anomalies in Davao infrastructure projects. In the Municipality of Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, authorities uncovered a "ghost project" valued at ₱96.5 million. Declared 100% complete and fully paid to St. Timothy Construction Corp. in 2022, actual construction did not begin until late 2025, three years after its supposed completion. As of February 2026, contractor Sarah Discaya is detained in Lapu-Lapu City facing malversation charges related to this project.
In December 2025, eight DPWH officials from the Davao Occidental District Engineering Office surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation following graft and malversation complaints. The NBI and the Office of the Ombudsman are investigating 13 questionable projects in the province, with a combined cost exceeding ₱1 billion. This includes a ₱116-million substandard project in Barangay Demoloc, Malita, where a newly built 500-meter revetment has partially collapsed. Due to falsified accomplishment reports and fraudulent billing, the entire DPWH Davao Occidental District Engineering Office was placed under a six-month preventive suspension.
