Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon committed Friday to completing the long-delayed Villasis-Sto. Tomas Bridge in Pangasinan by the end of 2027, following a direct order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The project has remained unfinished for nearly a decade, forcing residents and motorists to take lengthy detours between the two towns.

Dizon, who inspected the site Friday, said the current administration is prioritizing the completion of “idle” or stalled infrastructure projects.

“President Marcos has ordered the fast-tracking of the Villasis-Sto. Tomas Bridge so residents no longer have to travel long distances,” Dizon said.

Currently, travel between the two areas takes approximately 30 minutes. Once the bridge is operational, that time is expected to drop to five minutes. Dizon cited that the project has been stalled for roughly five years despite previous funding allocations.

To prevent further delays, Dizon said the DPWH will move away from “phase-by-phase” or staggered funding, which he blamed for the project’s slow progress.

“The problem is the funding is trickled out, so the projects never end,” Dizon said. “We aren’t going to do that anymore. We cannot start new ones until the ongoing ones are finished.”

The secretary said that completing the bridge by the end of Marcos’ term in 2027 is a “realistic” goal based on current budget requirements and construction status. He added that the department would coordinate with Congress to ensure full, continuous funding for major infrastructure to avoid the “fragmented” budgets of the past.

Local residents expressed relief at the announcement, noting that the bridge is the largest in the area capable of transporting goods to market. Beyond local travel, the bridge is expected to provide a more direct route for those traveling to and from Manila, bypassing heavy traffic on the region’s main roads.