Baste Duterte hits opening of unfinished Davao road

MANILA, Philippines — Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte criticized the opening of Davao City’s Coastal Road Segment B, saying the move is premature as the project remains unfinished and lacks safety features.

Duterte said in a statement yesterday that the Department of Public Works and Highways opened two of the four lanes of the road segment even when it is still under DPWH jurisdiction and has not been turned over to the local government yet.

He added that the Davao City Road Project Advisory and Monitoring Board noted the absence of streetlights, traffic signs and other safety measures at the opened road portion.

According to DPWH, all four lanes of Segment B are scheduled for completion by March 2026.

“The integrity and safety of public roads must not be compromised simply because a deadline has been set,” Duterte said.

The Coastal Road project is a major infrastructure undertaking aimed at easing traffic congestion by providing an alternative route between the southern and downtown areas of the city.