JOLO, Sulu — After years of waiting, a major road upgrade is finally rolling forward in Sulu, promising smoother travel and easier daily commutes for thousands of residents.

A P779.75-million stretch of the Sulu Circumferential Road, known as the SP8A Pilot Project, is set to break ground in January after clearing its final administrative hurdles. The project is part of the national Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project I, a key effort to strengthen connectivity across the region.

Sulu Vice Governor Abdusakur Tan said the 6.8-kilometer road section will run from Barangay Mauboh in Patikul to Barangay Buanza in Indanan, cutting straight through the provincial capital of Jolo. Once completed, it will feature standard two-lane roads, with an expanded 800-meter four-lane section in Jolo town to help ease chronic traffic bottlenecks.

“For many residents, short trips can turn into long, frustrating drives,” Tan said. “This upgrade will make a real difference in everyday life.”

The project is expected to formally kick off soon, with the Notice of Award scheduled for release between now and early January 2026, and the Notice to Proceed targeted for mid-January — the signal for contractors to mobilize on the ground.

The SP8A project also adds momentum to a broader wave of ADB-funded infrastructure investments in Sulu, including the P1.64-billion Patikul-Jolo-Indanan Coastal Bypass Road. Together, officials say these projects are reshaping the province’s transport network and opening up long-isolated communities.

Funded under ADB Loan No. 3631-PHI, the road project aligns with national goals to boost Mindanao’s growth corridors by improving access to markets, schools, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

“These are not just roads,” Tan said during recent stakeholder meetings. “They are lifelines that help people move, trade, study, and earn better.”

Residents in Jolo and nearby towns have welcomed the development, hopeful that better roads will mean faster travel, safer journeys, and a stronger local economy — a tangible step toward Sulu’s long-promised road to progress.