Neda ICC-CabCom approves 3 high-impact projects

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board’s Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CabCom) approved in its meeting on March 8 three new projects, including a flood control project in Mindanao and a traffic-alleviating project in Metro Manila.

The Ambal-Simuay River and Rio Grande de Mindanao River Flood Control Projects and the construction of 10 Proposed Priority Bridges Crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway of the Department of Public Works and Highways are listed in the 75 flagship projects of the Duterte administration.

The Mindanao flood control projects, costing P39.2 billion, would involve the construction of various flood management infrastructure such as dikes and floodgates along the Ambal-Simuay and Rio Grande de Mindanao which are parts of the Mindanao River Basin, the second largest river basin in the country.

Meanwhile, the construction of the remaining 10 priority bridges crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway, amount- ing to P27.37 billion, which aims to improve road transport network capacity and efficiency in Metro Manila by adding fix links and alternate routes, was also approved. The approval of the construction of the first two bridges—the Binondo-Intramuros and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridges— with a total cost of P5.98 billion was earlier confirmed by the Neda Board on Sept. 12. The first two bridges will be funded by a grant from the Chinese government.

The ICC-CabCom, which is chaired by Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez and co-chaired by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, also approved the Rural Agro-Enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which is geared towards improving productivity of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and making them competitive in the local and global markets.

The project, which has a total cost of P4.78 billion, intends to support 78,000 farming households by increasing on-farm and off-farm activities and generating employment opportunities in rural areas.

In the same meeting, the ICC-CabCom also approved the increase in cost and the change in scope of the Integrated Marine Environment Monitoring System Phase 2 (PHILO 2) Project of the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR). This involves the improvement and expansion of the first phase of the project, particularly its vessel monitoring system (VMS) and integration of various databases. /