The Philippine government has secured funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the 64.7-kilometer Central Mindanao High Standard Highway, a key infrastructure project aimed at enhancing connectivity between Cagayan de Oro and Malaybalay City. The loan agreement, signed on March 27, 2026, amounts to 1.67 billion Japanese yen (approximately ₱622 million) and will fund the project’s detailed design and preparatory works. Once completed, the highway is expected to deliver a safer and more efficient route, cutting travel time from 90 minutes to just 51 minutes.
Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go and JICA Chief Representative Baba Takashi signed the loan agreements on behalf of Philippines and Japan. Also in attendance representing the Philippine Government were Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan, and DPWH Director Benjamin Bautista, and representing Japan were Minister for Economic Affairs Yokota Naobumi, and JICA Senior Vice President Hayakawa Yuho.
The project will feature five major sections and five interchanges, and is scheduled for implementation from 2026 to 2034.
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