Upgraded Iloilo-Capiz Road ensures safer, smoother travel

Traveling from Iloilo City to the provinces of Capiz and Aklan will be smoother, safer and faster with the ongoing road upgrading project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

This road upgrading is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure local connectivity by building safer and more efficient road networks.

Undertaken by the DPWH Iloilo 4th District Engineering Office, the PHP 45.216 million project, funded under the fiscal year 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), involves the asphalt overlay of a 1.39-kilometer portion of the Iloilo-Capiz Road (New Route), specifically from Barangay Cagamutan to Barangay Poblacion in Zarraga, Iloilo. The project also includes the construction of concrete shoulders and concrete slope protection with guardrails.

In her report to Regional Director Denise Maria M. Ayag, officer-in-charge District Engineer Perla S. Laguardia said the asphalt overlay is necessary to enhance connectivity, reduce vehicle wear and tear, and ensure that daily travel is safe and efficient for motorists and residents.

“Uneven pavement may cause vehicular accidents or faster vehicular wear and tear, Hence, overlaying with asphalt can restore a uniform pavement surface and extend the structural lifespan of our roads,” Laguardia noted.

“Restoring surface integrity of our road through asphalt overlaying can enhance road safety, and deliver significant cost and time savings; hence, maintaining resilient transportation networks,” Laguardia added.

In addition, Ayag noted that the upgraded road will enhance local connectivity and facilitate faster and more efficient transportation of goods and services, thereby supporting local economic growth.

“Overlaying with asphalt would ensure better road condition, thus, providing motorists and road users with efficient, safer, and more convenient transportation access,” Ayag said.

The asphalt overlay project is already 80% complete and is expected to be finished in November 2026.

The project reflects the region’s ongoing commitment to infrastructure improvement and inclusive development. By transforming rough, deteriorated roadways into smoother and safer routes, the project not only enhances everyday travel convenience but also lays a foundation for future socioeconomic growth. (DPWH-6)