BUTUAN CITY – The P1.5 billion major road construction project that will connect the Northern and Southern Mindanao regions is set to be completed this December.

According to officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the 58-kilometer Talaingod, Davao del Norte (Southern Mindanao)-San Fernando, Bukidnon (Northern Mindanao) is now already 95.43 percent complete.

The Talaingod-Bukidnon road project is part of President Arroyo’s commitment in her State-of-the-Nation Address (SoNA), DPWH officials said.

They said the contractors of the said project were specifically instructed to follow a 24-hour, seven days a week (24/7) work schedule to be able to meet the target deadlines.

Engineers of the District Engineering Offices (DEOs) in Bukidnon and Davao del Norte were also directed to personally supervise the ground works to hit the timeline.

They said that only a weather disturbance could derail the ongoing finishing touches. However, the DPWH officials said they “don’t see any problems occurring at present.”

Meanwhile, DPWH Region 11 Director Osop Ali and DPWH Region 10 Director Evelyn T. Barroso also reported that the P1.7 billion Surigao-Davao Coastal Road is in full swing and five of its packages were already completed while the remaining packages are also set to be completed in 2010.

The Surigao-Davao Coastal Road project is also part of President Arroyo’s SoNA commitment, said Barroso.

“We are ahead of schedule,” declared Barroso.

The on-going 24/7 ground works of the DPWH Surigao-Davao Coastal Road include the Package 3 Tandag-Marihatag Section, Package 4 Unaban-Sumo-Sumo Section, Package 5 Aras-Asan-Marihatag Section, Package 6 Salvacion-Lianga Section, Package 7 Lianga-Barobo Section, Package 8 Cortes-Buenavista Section, Package 12 Tagbina-Hinatuan Section, Package 13 Tagasaka-Bislig Section, Package 14 Bislig-Lingig Section and Package 15 Lingig-Boundary Boston (Davao Oriental) section.