Nalil-Sikkiat bridge to open by Mid-2025, boosts Tawi-Tawi growth

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced that the Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge No. 1 in Tawi-Tawi is now 96 percent complete and on track for opening by July 2025, bringing the province closer to a new era of inter-island connectivity and economic integration.

Spanning 541 meters, the bridge is part of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-backed Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP) and is one of three major bridges in Tawi-Tawi aligned with the Marcos administration’s “Build Better More” infrastructure program.

DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, who leads the department’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) and BARMM infrastructure programs, described the bridge as a landmark commitment of the national government to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“These bridges are not just physical structures—they are investments in peace, progress, and long-overdue development for the region,” Sadain said. “They symbolize the government’s resolve to unlock Mindanao’s full potential through modern and inclusive infrastructure.”

Sadain and ADB Vice President Scott Morris led a site inspection of the Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge on May 23, joined by Tawi-Tawi Governor Yshmael “Mang” I. Sali and a high-level delegation from ADB and national government agencies.

The %u20B11.08 billion project includes a 380.8-meter bridge span and a 160-meter approach road. The implementation is being managed by the Unified Project Management Office – Roads Management Cluster II (UPMO-RMC II), with China Wuyi Co., Ltd. as the contractor.

DPWH reported that the two other Tawi-Tawi bridges under IGCMRSP are also progressing steadily. The Malassa-Lupa Pila Bridge No. 3, which stretches 680 meters over the Manalik Channel, is 72 percent complete, while the Tongsinah-Paniongan Bridge No. 2, a 570-meter link between Pababag Island and Sanga-Sanga Island, has entered the civil works phase.

Once completed, the three-bridge network will provide uninterrupted land connectivity across key islands in Tawi-Tawi, facilitating the flow of goods and people while supporting local industries such as fishing and seaweed farming. The infrastructure is also seen as a foundation for long-term peace and development in the region.

“These bridges will drive inclusive growth in BARMM, laying down pathways not only for transport but for opportunity,” said Sadain in his report to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan.