TARLAKENYO (April 12, 2026) — Six years of delay and inaction prompted Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to order the immediate start of expropriation proceedings for two major bypass road projects in Tarlac province, following an ocular inspection on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
Dizon, joined by Tarlac Governor Christian Yap and Tarlac City Mayor Susan Yap, personally inspected the Concepcion-Bamban Bypass Road in Bamban and the Estrada-Navy-New Clark City Bypass Road in Capas that both stalled for years due to right-of-way (ROW) issues and piecemeal funding.
“2021, naputol na yung pondo. Ang problema din sa right-of-way, hindi naman pinoproseso… Hindi ko naiintindihan bakit ganun, parang pinapabayaan na lang. Tapos anim na taon yung nakaraan, walang nangyari,” Dizon said.
The 11-kilometer Concepcion-Bamban Bypass Road, which has been pending since 2020, is designed to provide a direct route from Concepcion and Bamban to New Clark City without passing through MacArthur Highway. It is also expected to decongest traffic along the Concepcion-Magalang Road.
In Capas, Dizon saw firsthand how the proposed Estrada Bypass Road has deteriorated into an illegal dump site after years of neglect. Residents complained of foul odor and recurring illnesses among children.
“Maamoy. Mga bata, nilalagnat, sinisipon… Kawawa mga bata, walang gamot,” one resident lamented.
Farmers in the area also appealed for action, describing how the unpaved, rutted dirt road damages their equipment and spoils their harvest.
“Dahil lubak-lubak yung daan, kung minsan matutumba po yung trailer ng traktora, karga nanaman po kami. May napipilay dahil nadadaganan sila ng trailer,” said farmer Henry Sison. He added that delays in transporting harvesters cause palay to overripen, leading to post-harvest losses.
Governor Christian Yap, who accompanied Dizon throughout the inspection, pledged full support for the expropriation process and emphasized the projects’ importance to commuters and farmers alike.
“Ang daming nagtatrabaho dyan sa Clark [from] Mabalacat tapos ang layo ng commute, iikot pa sa 2 bayan. Ito, baka 10-15 minutes nasa trabaho na sila… Given yung fuel crisis, malaki ang menos sa gastos nila,” the governor said.
Mayor Susan Yap, a former governor herself, thanked Dizon for issuing clear instructions to complete the stalled projects, particularly on allocating sufficient funding.
“Nung governor ako, my son was the congressman, may coordination naman so we knew what was going on. But of course ang funding kasi nyan multi year e. Meron ngayon, mamaya nawawala,” she said.
Dizon stressed that completing the roads end-to-end is not just a matter of convenience but of food security, as both routes serve as vital farm-to-market links.
“Yung cost of food natin, bababa. Kasi imbis na iikot sila nang napakalayo or dadaan sila sa mga dirt road na halos hindi na sila makadaan, lalo na pag tag-ulan, ang dali nang madala yung mga palay, gulay, prutas. Ang dali nang mabenta,” Dizon added.
Rice farmer William Alfonso shared the same hope. “Halimbawa, magha-harvest kami, dadalhin namin ng Mabalacat Market, mabilis dito [sa bypass road]. Yung konsumo namin sa gastos kokonti kaysa yung iikot kami sa Macarthur [Highway] tapos mata-traffic ka pa, mas maraming oras naaaksaya… Hindi ka man tatabla, lugi ka pa,” he said.
To ensure delivery by 2027, Dizon said he is willing to build two-lane roads first instead of the planned four lanes, as long as end-to-end accessibility is achieved.
Both Governor Yap and Mayor Susan Yap have committed to assisting the expropriation process, with the governor posting on social media: “Patuloy ang ating pagtutulungan para sa kaunlaran ng Tarlac.”
