The 18.97-kilometer (km) Marawi Transcentral Road--one of the key road improvement projects in war-torn Marawi City in Lanao del Sur--is "almost complete".
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar made this announcement on his social media Wednesday, May 19.
The rehabilitation of the badly-damaged road is part of the government's Build Back Better program, which aims to improve the city's road network. This is expected to trigger more economic activity and hastens Marawi's recovery from the 2017 siege.
The road project--which has three contract packages--is funded by a grant from the Japanese government.
Contract package 1A or the Bacong-Iligan-Marawi Road Section, which has a total length of 9.41 km, is expected to be finished by July 2021. The two other contract packages have previously been completed.
Contract package 1B covered the Bacong-Poona-Marantao-Marawi Road, GMA Terminal Access, Marawi-Cadre-New Capitol, Marcos Boulevard, and Idarus Road Section.
Meanwhile, the MSU-GMA Road and Lumindong-Amaipakpak Avenue were constructed under contract package 2.
The entire road was financed by a ¥2-billion or approximately P970-million grant to the Republic of the Philippines from the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Villar said the DPWH will soon implement other vital infrastructure projects funded by JICA and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of Marawi City.