The Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is planning to build three major bypass road projects in Passi City, and the towns of Zaraga, and Barotac Nuevo. 

These projects will be built along the national highways in the northern and central parts of Iloilo Province, in order to reduce traffic congestion in the region. 

The three projects will be undertaken with a total investment of PHP394m ($7.7m). 

The bypass road project in Passi City will be carried out with an investment of PHP143m ($2.8m), which will see the construction of a 2.7km road and six-span, 30m prestressed concrete girder (PSCG) type IV-B bridge, including approaches and slope protection along Iloilo-Capiz Road. 

Upon completion, the Passi City bypass road will serve as an alternative route for the trucks that are using Iloilo-Capiz Road. 

"The three projects will be undertaken with a total investment of $7.7m."

The PHP100m ($1.9m) bypass road that will be built by the DPWH in the Zarraga, Iloilo, region will include construction of a 1.2km Portland concrete cement pavement and slope protection. 

DPWH’s third bypass in Barotac Nuevo will be Junction Iloilo East Coast Capiz Road, which will see the construction of a 1.78km concrete road for PHP151m ($2.9m). 

According to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, the completion of these bypasses will help boost the economic activities, as well as improve the transport of goods and services in Region 6. 

In addition to these bypass roads projects in Iloilo, DPWH is also working on the second phase of the PHP500m ($9.8m) Kalibo Circumferential Road in Aklan. 

The project scope includes construction of a new bridge stretching 750m, including approaches and right-of-way (RoW) amounting to PHP250m ($4.9m).