Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176957584984520250903-dbm-dpwh-presscon-pangandaman-dizon-MT6.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon holds a press conference, September 3, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FIle</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon vowed Tuesday to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the delay in the construction of the Mindoro Island Circumferential Road.</p><p>The road project had remained unfinished more than a decade after construction began.</p><p>“It’s the same story, tingi-tingi yung budget, kulang-kulang, minsan may mga years na hindi napopondohan, hindi natatapos, kung saan–saan napupunta ang pera,” Dizon said.</p><p>“We have now assigned a separate group to  investigate it  but now we have to solve this problem  but at the same time, kailangan may mga mananagot diyan, we cannot let that pass,” he added.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17695775244701769577521805.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>The project was intended to ease and shorten travel between Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro. Despite being adjacent to each other, travel between the two towns takes around 8 hours.</p><p>However, residents complained that since construction began in 2014, large portions of the 18.2-kilometer Mindoro Island Circumferential Road remained unpaved.</p><p>“Syempre kapag maulan mahirap ang daan marami sasakyan tulad ng motor nahihirapan dumaan,” said Eriel Sablayan, a Mangyan Iraya resident of Barangay Udalo in Abra de Ilog.</p><p>“Kung maaari po sa gobyerno  ay hinihiling po namin na magawa na ang kalsada,” said Kevin Cabasag, another Mangyan Iraya resident.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17695775510721769577549115.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>One major portion of the project that remains unfinished is a bridge in Barangay Udalo. Residents are forced to pass through the river itself to cross.</p><p>“Matagal na po itong hindi naayos dahil kung naayos po ito malaking pag-unlad ng aming lugar,” said Jojie Marcelino.</p><p>“Kuh ang hirap po lalo na po kung tag-ulan dahil wala naman po iba dadaanan. Minsan po ay tatawid kami hanggang baywang ang tubig kapag kinakailangan.</p><p>Sana po magawa na po,” added Elaisa Alaminto.</p><p>Pedestrians are also forced to use a makeshift staircase to be able to use the bridge, posing danger to the public.</p><p>Fifteen-year-old student Mika Lauyan admitted feeling fear every day as she climbs the bridge just to attend school.</p><p>“Sana po ayusin nyo na po para may tulay na po,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17695775739531769577571971.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Renato Daprosa also crosses the river daily on his motorcycle, traveling from San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro to work in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. The circumferential road is his shortest route as taking the old southern route would take him eight hours.</p><p>But when the river level rises, he cannot cross unless he pays locals to tie ropes around his motorcycle and haul it up to the bridge.</p><p>“Mas maganda po yan kung maaayos po, mas mapapabilis po ang transportation. Kagaya ko empleyado po ako, kapag mataas po ang tubig binubuhat po ng mga katutubo itong motor  tapos kapag sobrang lalim po,” Daprosa said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/26/dizon-eyes-new-cases-over-another-substandard-dike-in-mindoro-1057">Dizon eyes new cases vs contractor, DPWH officials over another ‘substandard’ dike in Mindoro</a></div><p>In a January 2020 press release, the DPWH said that the Mindoro Circumferential Road was already 60 percent complete, funded with an initial budget of P1.8 billion.</p><p>Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor said the portion of the road in Puerto Galera, within his province, has already been completed.</p><p>“Way back 2022 kinonfirm sa akin ng DOWH na yung Oriental Mindoro side, which is short portion, parang less than 5km is tapos na siya. Yung Occidental side which is around 18km, yun ang ginagawa,” Dolor said.</p><p>“Supposed to be tapos na siya ng 2024, 2025. Ngayon tingnan natin kung sa 2026 na GAA ay nilagyan nila ng pondo para matapos na,” he added.</p><p>Dizon assured the public that completing the Abra de Ilog–Puerto Galera section of the Mindoro Island Circumferential Road was among the agency’s priorities this year, upon the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>“It’s already one of our priorities this year… Ten years na yan, very sad and very unfortunate na it is the same story everywhere in the country. We have all these unfinished [projects], but the president said we have to finish them,” Dizon said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/14/dpwh-mimaropa-execs-challenge-alleged-mindoro-dike-defects-in-bail-hearing-1600">DPWH MIMAROPA execs challenge alleged Mindoro dike &#x27;defects&#x27; in bail hearing</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/25/-nakakaperwisyo-mindoro-gov-flags-defective-p420-m-dike-after-collapse-1310">&#x27;Nakakaperwisyo&#x27;: Mindoro gov flags defective P420-M dike after collapse</a></div>

<p>Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon vowed Tuesday to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the delay in the construction of the Mindoro Island Circumferential Road.</p>

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon vowed Tuesday to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the delay in the construction of the Mindoro Island Circumferential Road.

DPWH chief vows probe, accountability over decade-long delay of Mindoro Circumferential Road; construction to be completed this year

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DPWH chief vows probe, accountability over decade-long delay of Mindoro Circumferential Road; construction to be completed this year

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 28, 2026 12:52 PM PHT

|

Updated January 28, 2026 01:20 PM PHT

Read More:

Mindoro Island Circumferential Road

Abra de Ilog

Occidental Mindoro

Puerto Galera

Oriental Mindoro

DPWH

Sec. Vince Dizon

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