MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — The Regional Development Council (RDC) in Northern Mindanao has endorsed the construction of a China-funded expressway designed to link Cagayan de Oro to General Santos, passing directly through Bukidnon.

The infrastructure project aims to improve traffic flow and strengthen regional agricultural supply chains.

Bukidnon Governor Rogelio Neil Roque, chairman of the RDC Infrastructure and Utilities Development Committee, said the highway is projected to significantly cut down travel time and transport costs for local farmers and producers.

While the exact budget and completion timeline remain pending due to ongoing planning and required congressional approvals, Roque emphasized the project’s strategic value during the council’s third-quarter meeting on 25 August.

He urged the council to focus on practical, solution-oriented measures to achieve actionable development.

Alongside the expressway, the RDC endorsed a massive P184.8-billion infrastructure budget for 2027, highlighting regional energy security and transport connectivity as critical priorities.

To support the region’s expanding economic footprint, the council is coordinating closely with the Department of Energy and local offices to guarantee adequate power capacity.

Major regional initiatives include the rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Plant Complex and upgrades to the Mindanao Grid’s power reliability support system. Additional energy priorities focus on coal plant retirement support and benefit rationalization.

Roque said the budget allocations will fund key projects across 10 regional agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the National Irrigation Administration, among others.

The regional infrastructure push focuses heavily on expanding local road networks to better connect rural producers to urban markets. In the aviation sector, the budget targets pushing the Bukidnon Airport toward commercial readiness while advancing the status of Laguindingan Airport.

To ensure responsible execution of these initiatives, Roque noted that the council is enforcing strict project safeguards, including mandatory pre-implementation checks for site readiness, permits and environmental clearances.