Philippines: Ghost 'flyover to nowhere' contract terminated, what's next

Manila: A ghost flyover in Albay province, is finally getting a makeover.

After nearly five years of frustration, traffic chaos, and broken promises, the long-stalled Malabog Flyover project in Daraga, Albay could meet its end — at least in its current form.

In a move that sent shockwaves through the Bicol construction sector, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon announced the termination of the contract with Alpha Omega Corp., the contractor behind the abandoned flyover project

, during an on-site inspection on February 1, 2026.

Dizon ordered regional officials and district engineers in Bicol to speed up the termination of all contracts bagged by companies linked to former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and contractor couple Curlee and Sara Discaya, a former chambermaid in London also known as the "Queen" of ghost projects in the Philippines.

Zaldy Co is believed to be hiding in Europe, while the Discayas are detained over their role in scam projects.

Standing beneath skeletal concrete pillars that have loomed uselessly over the Maharlika Highway for years, Dizon did not mince words.

Despite a ₱159-million budget, the 700-meter flyover — designed to ease congestion on one of Bicol’s busiest routes — is only 12 percent complete, a glaring symbol of stalled governance and wasted time.

“It turns out this is a Discaya project — Alpha Omega. So we’re terminating it,” Dizon said.

“This February, we’ll put it out for rebidding.”

Alpha Omega Corp. has been linked to the controversial Discaya couple, whose infrastructure projects have drawn scrutiny for repeated delays and underperformance.

For residents of Daraga, the termination comes as long-overdue validation of years of complaints about traffic bottlenecks, safety hazards, and economic disruption caused by the unfinished structure.

The flyover, framed by the iconic silhouette of Mayon Volcano, has become a daily reminder of bureaucratic inertia — a project meant to symbolise progress, frozen in time instead.

DPWH officials say rebidding will be fast-tracked, with the goal of completing the project within two years once a new contractor is secured.

If finished, the flyover is expected to become a critical artery for regional mobility, improving access along the Maharlika Highway and boosting commerce across Albay and neighboring provinces.

Dizon’s inspection did not stop at Malabog.

He also surveyed damaged highway sections in Anislag, Daraga, and Sorsogon, as well as the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center in Legazpi City, a flagship health infrastructure project.

The message was clear: no more patience for stalled or substandard work.

He further emphasized that all Co- and Discaya-linked contracts in Bicol would be reviewed, signaling a broader crackdown on problematic infrastructure deals.

The decision comes amid renewed government efforts to revitalise infrastructure in typhoon-prone Bicol, where delayed projects compound economic vulnerability.

While critics warn that rebidding could introduce new delays, many see the move as a necessary reset — a rare moment of accountability.

As rebidding begins this month, the pressure is now squarely on DPWH to deliver — and finally turn the Malabog Flyover from a monument of delay into a bridge to progress.