P126-B earmarked for C. Luzon infra projects

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The national government has allocated a total of P126.38-billion from the 2024 national budget to fund the implementation of 2,995 infrastructure projects in Central Luzon.

This year’s allocation for the Department of Public Works and Highways Region (DPWH-3) represents 13.07 percent share of the agency's overall budget.

DPWH-3 Director Roseller Tolentino disclosed that the funding increased by 29.27% compared to the previous year's budget of P97.7 billion.

Of this amount, Tolentino said P14.34 billion will be allocated for 140 projects to be implemented by the agency's regional office, while the remaining funds will be utilized by the 16 District Engineering Offices.

“Ensuring a safe and reliable national road network system, which accounts for 18% of the region's budget, reflects the department’s core mandate and includes a total of 452 projects across Central Luzon,” Tolentino said.

He added that 28 percent of the budget is allocated for constructing 430 flood control projects along major or principal rivers.

"This means that priority is given to enhancing infrastructure resilience against flooding particularly in identified flood-risk areas," he said.

DPWH Assistant Regional Director Melquiades Sto. Domingo said the infrastructure development, particularly the completion of vital connectivity projects and multipurpose facilities by the DPWH, have contributed to the recent rise in Central Luzon's economy.

“Since 2016, we have seen a steady increase in our budget, and this helped us, especially our District Engineering Offices, in the implementation of transformative projects that ushered in a new era of economic prosperity for Central Luzon, establishing the region as an economic powerhouse,” he said.

Sto Domingo added that DPWH's transformative efforts in Central Luzon may have contributed to increased business activities in the region, with numerous large enterprises significantly impacting employment and emphasizing the crucial role of infrastructure development.

"The region likewise emerged as a powerhouse in economic growth, securing the third position among all Philippine regions with an impressive 8.1% expansion. In concrete terms, the economy surged from P2.02 trillion in 2021 to a staggering P2.19 trillion in 2022, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority,” he said.