NEDA approves P307 B worth of infrastructure projects

MANILA, Philippines - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved 13 infrastructure and other projects amounting to P307.22 billion last night.

President Aquino has directed the Cabinet and NEDA to focus on completing similar ongoing projects and laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term economic development and inclusive growth.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the following projects were approved for the Department of Public Works and Highways: flood risk management project for Cagayan de Oro River worth P8.55 billion that would cover the implementation of structural and non-structural measures aimed at strengthening the resilience of the communities along Cagayan de Oro River stretch, from the Macajalar Bay to the Pelaez Bridge, to climate change and other hydrometeorological hazards by mitigating flood risk in the area.

The project will be constructed from October 2015 to March 2022.

Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue/Makati Avenue/Paseo de Roxas vehicle underpass project (P1.27 billion). It involves the construction of a four-lane vehicle underpass, with two lanes per direction, along the innermost lanes of Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and Paseo de Roxas.

Other projects include restoration of bridges damaged by the earthquake last year along the Bohol Circumferential Road (P0.81 billion); Metro Manila Interchange construction project Phase VI (P4.01 billion); Laguna Lakeshore Expressway-Dike project (P122.81 billion); construction of a 47-kilometer, six-lane expressway-cum-flood control dike on a mainly offshore alignment about 500 meters from the western shoreline of the lake, including bridges, interchanges, access roads, pumping stations and floodgates.

For the Department of Transportation and Communications: Iloilo Airport operations, maintenance and development project (P30.40 billion); Bacolod Airport operations, maintenance development project (P20.26 billion); Davao Airport operations, maintenance and development project (P40.57 billion); Puerto Princesa Airport operations, maintenance and development project (P5.23 billion); and Davao Sasa port modernization project (P18.99 billion).

For the Department of Justice: regional prison facilities (P50.18 billion). This involves the financing, construction and maintenance of a new prison facility through a public-private partnership  (PPP) arrangement, which will have the capacity to accommodate 26,000 inmates with facilities for both men and women, ranging from minimum to maximum security. Custodial and rehabilitation services are excluded from the scope of the PPP arrangement.

For the Department of Agriculture: fisheries, coastal resources and livelihood project (P1.86 billion) and for the Department of Agrarian Reform, convergence on value chain enhancement for rural growth and empowerment (P2.28 billion).