PBBM to bare ‘Build Better More’ project list next week

THE administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is expected to release a list of Build Better More (BBM) projects, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

On the sidelines of a briefing on the country’s economic performance on Thursday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the President would announce the BBM projects list next week.

Balisacan said the list, which is still being firmed up by the government, would include projects inherited from the previous administration as well as new ones that will be undertaken under the Marcos government.

“Many of these are coming from [the] previous [administrations]. As we’ve mentioned, we will continue programs and projects, activities that were left by the previous government, if these are productive [and] useful, especially if they have already passed the Neda screening process, then we have more reason to believe that these are productive projects and so they should be continued,” Balisacan said.

In Frankfurt, Germany earlier this week, Balisacan mentioned that government agencies have identified over 3,600 projects worth $372 billion that will be included in the Public Investment Program (PIP) and the Three-year Rolling Infrastructure Plan (TRIP).

Balisacan said included in this list are 206 projects worth $159 billion that will be included in the Marcos administration’s own “flagship” projects.

He said the bulk of these projects or 136 of them are on physical connectivity; 42 are in water resources; nine in digital connectivity; eight in health; two in power and energy; and another nine in other sectors.

Balisacan said by the end of December 2022, the government has identified 87 projects worth $54 billion that will be undertaken via Public Private Partnership (PPP). A number of these projects will be included in the Marcos administration’s flagship list.