Key Mindanao road link set to open next month

The Department of Public Works and Highways is preparing to open major components of the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP), with the Guicam Bridge Project now 91.9 percent complete and the R.T. Lim–Siocon Road set for public use by December.

The agency said Wednesday that the Guicam Bridge, one of the largest structures under the IGCMRSP, will connect Olutanga Island—including Olutanga, Talusan, and Mabuhay—to mainland Zamboanga Sibugay. It is expected to improve mobility and access to services once opened.

Another key component, the 24-kilometer R.T. Lim–Siocon Road, is also nearing completion. 

The route will link R.T. Lim in Zamboanga Sibugay to Siocon in Zamboanga del Norte, expected to cut transportation costs, enhance trade links, and ease the movement of people and goods across the two provinces.

Funded by the Asian Development Bank and implemented by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office Roads Management Cluster 2, the IGCMRSP aims to expand the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area road network, unlock the region’s economic potential, and strengthen peace and order in Mindanao.