On 9 October Ambassador KOSHIKAWA Kazuhiko joined Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan and Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo at the inauguration ceremony of the 7.7 km widened portion of the Plaridel Bypass Road in the Province of Bulacan.

Plaridel Bypass is a new alternative route traversing the municipalities of Balagtas, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and San Rafael in Bulacan, funded by the Government of the Philippines and the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency under the Arterial Road Bypass Project.

Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase (III) consists of four contract packages for the widening work of Plaridel Bypass. This time, Contract Package 4 has completed the widening of 7.7 kilometers of the existing two-lane road into four lanes. Together with the 2.2 km already widened section (CP3) finished in 2021, now 10km of the 24.61km bypass road has four lanes. The widening work for the remaining road section (CP1 and CP2) is also underway. Completion of this widening project is expected to bring further development to Bulacan and neighboring provinces by alleviating traffic congestion and improving economic activities and productivity.