MANILA, Philippines - The Cabinet-level investment committee of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has approved four projects, mainly aimed at improving road access in Luzon and Visayas, to be funded through official development assistance (ODA).
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga Jr. said the different projects would help address the country’s infrastructure gaps.
These projects are the Baler-Casiguran road improvement project; the Samar Pacific Coastal road project; the Umiray Bridge construction project for Expanded Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC); and the Market Transformation through Introduction of Energy Efficiency Tricycle (E-Trike) project.
The Baler-Casiguran road improvement project seeks to improve road access within the province of Aurora, NEDA said in a statement.
Under the plan, the government would be completing the construction of 50.95 kilometers of unpaved road out of the 116.37-kilometer Baler-Casiguran road section.
Paderanga said the road completion would help improve tourism and commerce between Regions II and III.
“This road improvement project will also ensure interregional connectivity between Region II and III, promote tourism, and facilitate trading, commerce and delivery of local farm products within Aurora and to major market areas in Luzon,” Paderanga said.
He added that the project would link the different municipalities of Aurora as well as connect the province with Cagayan Valley Road, Quirino, and Isabela.
The project will be spearheaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and to be financed through a loan from the Korea Economic and Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF).
The second project, with a total length of 27.75 kilometers, is the Samar Pacific Coastal Road, which is envisioned to link the coastal towns of Northern and Eastern Samar.
Paderanga said the Samar Pacific Coastal Road project would enhance the development of potential agricultural lands in Samar.
He said the project would also be financed through Korea EDCF loan.
The third project covers the construction of a 358-lineal meter bridge that will cross the Umiray River along the boundaries of Dingalan, Aurora and General Nakar in Quezon.
With an estimated cost of P798.56 million, the project will be implemented through a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The fourth project is the Market Transformation through Introduction of Energy Efficiency Tricycle (E-Trike) Project, NEDA said.
Under the plan, the government aims to provide 100,000 units of electricity-run tricycles.
The E-Trike project targets local government units (LGUs) of Metro Manila, Boracay in Aklan, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija and Davao City, Paderanga said.
“The Philippines would benefit in the utilization of electric vehicles to reduce the country’s dependence on price-volatile petroleum fuels. It will also reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector in Metro Manila and LGUs in the country,” he said.
The E-Trike project, spearheaded by the Department of Energy (DoE), has an approved cost of P21.50 billion. It will be partially funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).