9 infra projects up for Duterte’s approval

Costing a total of over billion

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that nine flagship infrastructure projects in advanced stages are up for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s approval this month.

At the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) general membership meeting yesterday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said the NEDA board will meet on June 27 to approve these projects with a total cost of R738.08 billion. Based on Pernia’s presentation during the MAP meeting, seven infrastructure projects, costing R687.47 billion, will be funded by official development assistance (ODA), and the remaining balance of R50.61 billion is financed by government funds. Among the projects identified by Pernia under ODA are the Mega Manila Subway ProjectPhase One ( R 230 billion), Philippine National Railways (PNR) Longhaul from Calamba to Bicol (R151 billion), and Malolos-Clark Airport-Clark Green City Rail (R150 billion).

The PNR South Commuter Line from Tutuban to Los Baños (R134 billion) is also under ODA along with the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam project (R10.86 billion), the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Management project (R8.92 billion) and Chico River Pump Irrigation project (R2.69 billion).

Meanwhile, the Mindanao Railway project Tagum-Davao-Digos segment (R35.26 billion) and the Clark International Airport New Terminal Building project (R15.35 billion) are funded by public funds.

Pernia said these projects may take six months to nine months before their actual groundbreaking, while their completion is within two to three years, except for the PNR Long-haul from Calamba to Bicol.

“These are the ones that seem to be needed by the people, like the commuter lines, which aim to decongest Metro Manila,” Pernia told reporters.

Last April, the Duterte administration unveiled a three-year rolling infrastructure program (TRIP) amounting to R3.6 trillion from 2018 to 2020 for its so-called “the golden age of infrastructure.”

For 2018, funding of R1.13 trillion would be allocated for projects under TRIP; R1.18 trillion the following year and R1.29 trillion for 2020.

These cover infrastructure projects for transportation, water resources, sewerage and sanitation, flood management, solid waste management, maritime, social infrastructure, energy, information communications technology, and others.