The 100-project pipeline will be handed over to the next government; 12 BBB work done

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said there were 12 major works in the entire infrastructure project ahead of the government handover and seven more to be completed by June 30, leaving a pipeline of 100 projects for the next administration.

“Bringing a huge package of infrastructure projects is not a simple task. If you compare it to the previous administration, it is technical and requires huge effort in both cases fiFinancial Activities, “said DPWH Under-Secretary Emil K. Sadine.^M Inter-Agency Infrastructure Flagship Project Forum.

P8-Trillion Build, Build, Build (BBB) ​​program identifies 119 infrastructures FLegacy projects including P18-billion New Clark City Phase 1 and P14.97-billion Clark International Airport expansion projects, including seven in 2020 and five in 2021, P21.97-billion MRT-3 rehabilitation projects.

“You can’t simply say that a project or a big project can be done or finished overnight. We have to spend a lot of time starting from design, collection, construction preparation, ”said Mr. Sadain.

Roderick M. Planta, undersecretary of the National Economic and Development Authority, said in a briefing: “Headline metrics are a measure of public spending as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). At least twice that. “

Kelly Bird, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank, said: “In a nutshell, being able to consistently increase public spending by 5% or more has been very successful … the railway project, the expansion of the road network and bridges, and these are lifting. It is also important for long-term economic growth and job creation and economic recovery. “

Sakamoto Takema, chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency in the Philippines, said: “I am very positive about the BBB policy in the Philippines, and we are happy to support it.”

DPWH expects to complete seven more flagship projects by the end of President Rodrigo and Duterte’s June 30 term. These projects include the P9.76-billion LRT 2 East extension and the P7.51-billion flood risk management project. Kagayan, Tagolon and Emus rivers.

The department plans to complete 12 more major projects by December, including the P45.29-billion Southeast Metro Manila Expressway project and the P75-billion MRT-7.

Mr Sadain outlined six major challenges that the next government will have to address – contract management, planning and technical activities, proper road acquisition, fiScale management, use of loans and expiration and strengthening of organizational structure.

The department said 35 major projects for which construction is underway are expected to be completed by 2023. These include the NLEX-SLEX connecting road, Borake Circumferential Road and the Davao City Bypass construction project.

“The pace of the next administration should be maintained,” Mr Sadain said.

“The golden age of infrastructure does not stop with this administration. It goes beyond the next administration to ensure that the infrastructural gap with neighboring countries is closed, “he added. RJ L Balinbin