More than seven years after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) first released funds for the Tacloban-Palo Diversion Road and drainage system project, the P4.445-billion project remains less than half complete.
The slow progress of the project mirrors the sad plight of major infrastructure works in Eastern Visayas and elsewhere, where bureaucratic roadblocks and corruption often get in the way of fast-tracking these vital projects.
As of July 2026, the Tacloban-Palo Diversion Road has posted an overall physical and financial progress of 42.30 percent based on the total project cost.
Of the project’s total 3.232-kilometer road length, 0.756 kilometer has already been completed, while the remaining 1.256 kilometers is currently under construction.
The project has received P2.332 billion in released funds under the 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Acts. These appropriations cover road sections that have been completed and portions that remain under construction.
Total amount remaining to finish the project: an estimated P2.113 billion, which has been listed for funding for Fiscal Year 2027 onwards.
Construction will continue on sections covered by existing appropriations, while work on the remaining portion will proceed once funding is made available in succeeding years.
Once completed, the diversion road is expected to provide motorists with another route connecting Tacloban City and Palo, potentially reducing congestion at the BIR Junction.
The additional route is expected to provide motorists with another option, particularly during peak hours when traffic builds up along major roads connecting the two localities.
Beyond improving mobility, the project is also envisioned to support the continuing expansion of Tacloban City and neighboring areas of Palo.
The road will also feature bike lanes, sidewalks and a service road, making the project more than simply an alternative route for private vehicles.
Solar-powered streetlights and road safety devices will likewise be installed to improve visibility and safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Once fully completed, the project is expected to strengthen the road network between Tacloban City and Palo, reduce pressure on existing traffic routes and improve access to communities and potential development areas.
But with the project less than half complete after more than seven years, residents worry that the project might become yet another white elephant, a reflection of the gargantuan corruption and “ningas-kugon” mindset that has hindered economic development in Eastern Visayas.
(With report from the Philippine Information Agency/OpinYon News Team)
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