Where Marcos' flagship infrastructure projects stand, one year after SONA 2025

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. last year vowed to sustain his administration's infrastructure drive, saying some flagship projects would be completed beyond his six-year term as investments for the country's future.

"Asahan ninyo, magpapatuloy ang malawakang programang pang-imprastraektura ng administrasyon. Ang mga naglalakihang proyekto ay nakalatag sa buong kapuluan. Mga daan, tulay, tren, paliparan, pantalan, patubig, at murang pabahay," Marcos said in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA).

(Rest assured, the administration's extensive infrastructure will continue. Major projects are being rolled out across the archipelago—roads, bridges, railways, airports, seaports, irrigation systems, and affordable housing.)

"Ilan dito, matatapos ngayong administrasyon na ito. Ang iba naman, makukumpleto pa at mararamdaman ang dalang ginhawa pagkatapos pa ng aking termino. Nagpupundar po kasi tayo para sa kinabukasan. We are not building only for today, we are building also for tomorrow," he added.

(Some of these will be completed within this administration, while others will be finished and their benefits will be felt after my term. We are investing for the future. We not building only for today, we are building also for tomorrow.)

Slower infra spending

A year later, however, the Marcos administration's infrastructure spending has slowed.

Latest data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) show that infrastructure and other capital outlays stood at P41.5 billion in April 2026, reflecting a 52% drop from the P85.8 billion the same month a year ago, marking the 10th straight month of decline after the flood control corruption scandal jolted the bureaucracy.

This brought the year-to-date infrastructure spending to P189.3 billion, down 45.6% from P347.6 billion, as the DBM said the turnaround times for payments processing were extended due to review procedures.

"The contraction was attributed to the weak spending performance of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as the implementation of its current year's budget and completion of prior years' projects are still ongoing, while the processing of payment claims undergoes stringent validation procedures," the DBM said.

While several flagship infrastructure projects specifically mentioned by Marcos in his latest SONA have continued to move forward, progress has been mixed.

Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge

SONA 2025: "Bago matapos ang taon, magsisimula na ang Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge. Ang tulay na ito ay tatlumpu't dalawang kilometro ang haba, na tumatawid ng Manila Bay. Kung ang biyahe ngayon mula Mariveles hanggang Naic ay umaabot ng limang oras, balang araw ito ay magiging apatnapu't limang minuto na lamang."

(Before the year ends, work will start on the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge. This bridge will be 32 kilometers in length and will traverse Manila Bay. If today's trip from Mariveles to Naic lasts 5 hours, travel time will soon be reduced to 45 minutes.)

UPDATE: In November 2025, the DPWH awarded Package 2—which covers the 1.4-kilometer Cavite Land Approach—of the project to a consortium composed of China Wu Yi, Jinan Urban Construction Group Co. Ltd., and CM Pancho Construction Inc.

The DPWH in February 2026 awarded Contract Package 1 of the BCIB—which covers the 4.8-kilometer Bataan Land Approach—to a consortium of China Wu Yi Co. Ltd. and Fujian Road & Bridge Construction Group Co. Ltd.

Philippine National Railway (PNRs) Bicol Line

SONA 2025: "Ang mga riles ng PNR Bicol Line na sinira ng Bagyong Kristine ay unti-unti nating pinatitibay at naaayos na, kasama ang Binahan Bridge. Hindi magtatagal, madadagdagan pa ang haba ng linya na nito, at aabot na sa Ragay, Camarines Sur hanggang Tagkawayan, Quezon. Magiging malaking tulong ito sa ating motoristang nagdadaan sa malubhang trapik mula Quezon hanggang sa Bicol."

(The PNR Bicol Line railroad tracks which were destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Kristine are gradually being strengthened and repaired. This is the same for the Binahan Bridge. It won't be long before railway lines are added, reaching Ragay, Camarines Sur until Tagkawayan, Quezon. This will be a big help to motorists who currently endure heavy traffic from Quezon until Bicol.)

UPDATE: A route map on the PNR website accessed on Wednesday, July 22, shows that the line from College to Sipocot—which includes a station in Tagkawayan, Quezon—has been suspended.

PNR Bicol Line route map on PNR website accessed on July 22, 2026_Courtesy PNR website

South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Extension

SONA 2025: "Sa 2026, inaasahang magbubukas na sa motorista ang bahagi ng extension ng SLEX mula Sto. Tomas, Batangas hanggang Tiaong, Quezon."

(In 2026, we expect the SLEX Extension from Sto. Tomas, Batangas until Tiaong, Quezon to be open to motorists.)

UPDATE: As of June 25, 2026, DPWH data showed that only the project's segment to Tiaong, Quezon was nearing completion.

Construction of Package A of the SLEX Phase II Project (Sto. Tomas to Makban) stood at 43.70%, Package B (Makban to San Pablo) at 77.42%, and Package C (San Pablo to Tiaong) at 95.54%.

Courtesy: DPWH South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Extension Phase II Toll Road 4 (TR-4) Project Briefer

Guadalupe Bridge Rehabilitation

SONA 2025: "Ang rehabilitasyon ng Tulay ng Guadalupe ay sukdulan na ring kinakailangan. Nasa Senado pa ako ay pinag-uusapan na ito. Hindi ko papayagang tumawid pa ito sa susunod na administrasyon. Kaligtasan na ng publiko ang nakataya. Hindi po isasara ang Guadalupe Bridge. Gagawa muna tayo ng detour bridge sa magkabilang gilid bilang pansamantalang daanan. Kapag nagawa na at nabuksan na ang detour bridge na ito, doon pa lamang sisimulan ang trabaho sa main bridge."

(The rehabilitation of the Guadalupe Bridge is urgently needed. This was already being discussed when I was still in the Senate. I will not allow rehabilitation work to cross over to the next administration. Public safety is at stake. The Guadalupe Bridge will not be closed. We will make detour bridges on both sides as temporary detour routes. When the detour bridges are completed and opened, that's when work will commence on the main bridge.)

UPDATE: Former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan in July 2025 said the rehabilitation of the Guadalupe Bridge could be deferred to 2027 to avoid disruptions during the country's hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit 2026.

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Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project (MTCIP)

SONA 2025: "Higit sa lahat, kung may Luzon Spine Expressway Network program, mayroon din naman tayong Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project. Sa proyektong ito, aayusin natin ang mga pangunahing daan na nag-uugnay sa Cagayan de Oro, sa Davao, General Santos, na may haba na apat na raan at dalawampu't walong kilometro."

(Most importantly, if there's a Luzon Spine Expressway Network program, we also have the Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project. With this project, primary roads connecting Cagayan de Oro with Davao, General Santos will be repaired. These roads are 428 kilometers long.)

UPDATE: According to the dashboard on infrastructure flagship projects by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev), the project has been "approved for implementation," with the target year of completion beyond 2028.

DPWH Secretary Vivencio "Vince" Dizon last year issued a special order that created the MTCIP Project Steering Committee, tasked with overseeing strategic implementation, inter-agency coordination, and periodic review of project milestones. — VDV, GMA News

Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project (MTCIP). Courtesy: DPWH MTCIP Stakeholder Engagement Framework 2024