NEDA okays P150-B infra projects

MANILA, Philippines - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved yesterday four new infrastructure projects with a combined project cost of P149.12 billion.

The approved projects are the P122.81-billion Laguna Lakeshore Expressway-Dike project; the P14.62-billion Laguindingan Airport Development, Operations and Maintenance (O&M) project; the P9.35-billion bid of the Light Rail Manila Consortium for the LRT Line 1 South Extension project; and the P2.34-billion New Bohol Airport Development, O&M project.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA director general Arsenio M. Balisacan said the timely approval of the infrastructure projects are in line with the Updated Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016.

“The approval of these new infrastructure projects is a timely contribution to the improvement of the country’s connectivity and efficiency, mitigating disaster risks, supporting agricultural production, and pursuing energy and water security,” he said.

Balisacan added that these projects are aligned with the government’s overall strategy of increasing public infrastructure spending for the country to provide Filipinos with quality, adequate, and accessible infrastructure facilities and services. Funding for all the projects will fall under government’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) program.

The NEDA board, chaired by President Aquino, confirmed the Infrastructure Committee’s approval of the Transport Development for Metro Manila and its surrounding areas (Regions III and Calabarzon).

The roadmap will serve as guide in the development of policies, prioritization, and design of programs and projects, as well as harmonize all efforts, realize synergy and improve coordination among transport agencies.

The NEDA Board approved the bid of the Light Rail Manila Consortium for the LRT Line 1 South Extension project.

“The project will improve access to central Manila through providing off-street public transport connections to the rapidly growing southern portion of Metro Manila and the province of Cavite,” Balisacan said.

The Laguna Lakeshore Expressway-Dike project will provide a high-standard highway-dike that will facilitate traffic flow and mitigate flooding in western coastal communities along Laguna Lake. It will serve the fast-growing urban areas in southern Metro Manila towards Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon, with intensive residential, commercial, and industrial land uses.

The Laguindingan Airport O&M project would improve the airport’s capacity and upgrade its facilities and equipment to be of international standards through. This will also replace the Cagayan de Oro (Lumbia) Airport, which served as large catchment area of Northern Mindanao.

The Bohol Airport O&M project would provide the structuring and implementation of a PPP arrangement for the O&M, which includes the selection of an international or national consortium for the active marketing of the airport and develop direct international passenger traffic.

The consortium will also be in charge of infusing necessary capital investments to upgrade facility capacity in terms of passengers or air traffic movement.

Estimated construction period is from 2014-2016, and a maximum concession period of 35 years.