PALO, Leyte — The Commission on Audit will conduct a joint inventory inspection with the Department of Public Works and Highways of work covered by terminated contracts for the stalled Tacloban Causeway project.

The DPWH regional office in Eastern Visayas said the inspection will determine and validate the project’s actual accomplishment.

“The findings of the inspection will also serve as the basis for identifying the portions of the project that may be continued and subsequently subjected to re-bidding or proposal for future funding,” DPWH-8 said in a statement Thursday.

The agency assured the public that the project would continue and said it was taking the necessary measures to properly implement its remaining components.

Construction was halted after the flood control scandal erupted, leading to the resignation of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, who chaired the powerful House Committee on Appropriations.

The Tacloban Causeway project, with an estimated cost of P4.7 billion, was undertaken primarily by two contractors: Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., owned by Co’s family, and LNR Construction. Both companies are based in Legazpi City.

The national government has allocated a total of P3.97 billion for the multiyear project through the DPWH under the General Appropriations Act: P880 million in 2022, P1.92 billion in 2024 and P1.17 billion in 2025.

The DPWH said six of the project’s eight contracts had been terminated, while one contract funded in fiscal year 2022 had been completed.

The remaining contract is still under implementation but has been suspended because of obstructions involving electric posts and perimeter fences along the road leading to Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport.

According to the DPWH, the obstructions have temporarily affected the construction and paving of the road section leading to the causeway.

The agency said it was coordinating with the Leyte II Electric Cooperative and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to resolve the issue and facilitate the resumption of work.

Meanwhile, DPWH-8 said areas covered by the terminated contracts would undergo appropriate maintenance to keep existing project components in good condition.

“The office will continue to monitor and undertake necessary maintenance activities to prevent significant deterioration of the completed works and to also preserve their structural integrity while the necessary processes for the project’s continuation are being undertaken,” DPWH-8 said.

The agency said it would continue to comply with applicable technical, environmental and other regulatory requirements in determining the scope and manner of succeeding work.

The 2.55-kilometer causeway is envisioned to provide an additional transportation link and improve connectivity in Tacloban City. It is expected to reduce travel time between the city center and the airport to about five to 10 minutes.

“The project is also expected to support improved mobility and the city’s continued development, while providing added protection for lives and properties in the area against storm surges and other hazards associated with typhoons and inclement weather conditions,” the agency said.