The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) successfully convened the first Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting for the ₱37-billion Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project (MTCIP) in Cagayan de Oro City.
The milestone event officially marks the transition of the MTCIP into its strategic implementation phase, aimed at significantly improving connectivity, safety, and access across rural and agricultural areas in Northern Mindanao, the Davao Region, and Central Mindanao.
In direct alignment with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive emphasizing multi-sector participation and robust coordination with Local Government Units (LGUs), DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon issued Special Order No. 167, formally establishing the MTCIP PSC. The committee is tasked with providing high-level oversight on strategic implementation, ensuring seamless inter-agency coordination, and conducting periodic reviews of project milestones.
The steering committee, chaired by DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, comprises high-level representatives from key national government agencies, including the Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Mindanao Development Authority. Crucially, the committee also includes local chief executives from Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, and General Santos City, ensuring local ownership and priority alignment. The World Bank was represented by Senior Transport Specialist and Co-Task Team Leader John Kobina Richardson.
“The MTCIP is not just a DPWH or World Bank project—it is a Mindanaoan project,” stated Senior Undersecretary Sadain. “The overwhelming and consistent support we’ve received through early endorsements from provincial, city, and regional development councils ensures the project will be felt where it matters most: in the communities and by the farmers who rely on these vital links.”
The MTCIP, co-financed by the World Bank (₱25.46 billion) and the Philippine government (₱11.54 billion), is set to deliver substantial infrastructure improvements. The core of the project involves upgrading the critical 422-kilometer Cagayan de Oro–Davao–General Santos corridor, alongside the rehabilitation of three (3) key agricultural link roads totaling 128 kilometers:
Sayre Highway (Patulungan)–Cawayan–Kibenton Road (25.03 km)
Fatima–Malabog–Saloy–Panabo City Road (59.40 km)
Poblacion–Malungon–Sta. Maria Road (44.03 km)
The project scope also includes an Integrity Management Plan focused on strengthening road sector management through capacity building, climate resilience, and digital mapping in Mindanao, complemented by technical assistance and robust stakeholder engagement.
The 22-month design phase is scheduled to commence in January 2026, with construction targeted to begin in 2027. Project completion will be followed by a comprehensive five-year maintenance program to ensure long-term sustainability and serviceability.
