The infrastructure cluster of the Marcos administration vowed to accelerate the rollout of big-ticket infrastructure projects to boost the economy.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency is accelerating rail, maritime, road and aviation infrastructure projects that would bring socio-economic benefits to Filipinos.
“The department will speed up the momentum in completing more transport infrastructures and projects aimed at moving more people, products, and services and trigger economic growth,” Bautista said.
Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan also committed to hastening the rollout of high-impact projects.
“The DPWH will continue to be on the fast mode,” Bonoan said during the 2023 Post SONA Forum in Pasay City.
“Through the Build Better More program of the government, DPWH will continue and expand infrastructure development that will address the connectivity gap in the country and go beyond just building by incorporating sustainability, resiliency and advanced technology in infrastructure facilities,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his 2nd State of the Nation Address committed to maintain an annual spending on infrastructure at around 5 percent to 6 percent of gross domestic product from 2023 to 2028, equivalent to about $20 billion to $40 billion a year.
Under its Build-Better-More Program, the government identified 194 infrastructure flagship projects worth around P8.3 trillion.
Bautista said besides the massive North-South Commuter Railway system and the over 1,000 kilometers of railway projects, pipeline big-ticket rail infrastructure include the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, MRT-4, MRT-7 and the country’s first-ever underground railway, the Metro Manila Subway.
He also identified crucial airport projects such as the NAIA privatization, Clark International Airport, New Manila International Airport in Bulacan and Sangley Point International Airport in Cavite.
Bautista said that 29 aviation infra projects were completed, including the Butuan Airport and CRK’s Passenger Terminal Buildings, while 10 other regional airports would be developed.
Bonoan said the agency would address the traffic congestion and the expensive transportation of goods in the country.
He said that the government aimed to obtain by November this year the loan approval from the Asian Development Bank or the civil works of the 32.15-kilometer Bataan-Cavite Interlink Project
“The completion of this mega bridge project will reduce travel time between Bataan and Cavite from five hours to less than 45 minutes,” Bonoan said.
He said the 32.47 kilometer Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Brdges Project would start construction next year.
Bonoan said that once completed, the project would shorten travel time from Panay Island to Negros Island from three to four hours to about one hour via the interlink bridges.
The construction of Panguil Bay Bridge, on the other hand, is targeted to be completed next year.
“Once completed, travel time between Tubod Municipality in Lanao del Norte and Tangub City in Misamis Occidental will be reduced from 2.5 hours to just 7 minutes using the bridge,” Bonoan said.
The 4.01 kilometer Samal Island-Davao City Connector Bridge, which broke ground in October 2022, aims to reduce travel time from 55 minutes via RORO/ferry to five minutes.