The National Economic and Development Authority board approved over the weekend several major infrastructure projects, including the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and presidential adviser for flagship programs and projects Vince Dizon said the infrastructure projects aimed to improve connectivity across the country.
“The swift approval of the projects show how serious the government is in moving towards the realization of the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program and allow our people to use the words of the president – to ‘use, use, use’ them in order to live a more comfortable life,” Dizon said.
The NEDA board approved the New Bohol (Panglao) International Airport and the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport which are both unsolicited proposals from the private sector.
The list also includes land transport projects in Mindanao such as the Davao Public Transport Bus Modernization Project and the Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project.
The former involves the delivery of a modern, high priority bus system for Davao City, while the latter targets to cut travel time between Samal Island and Davao from 26 to 30 minutes using RORO or ferry operations to just 2 to 5 minutes.
It also approved major highways in Bicol Region such as the Pasacao-Balatan Tourism Coastal Highway and the Camarines Sur Expressway.
The projects are part of the revised list of infrastructure flagship projects which was also approved by the NEDA Board.
The 100 flagship projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program have a total projected cost of P4.25 trillion. The list covers five categories including transport and mobility, power, water, information and communications technology and urban development and renewal.
Dizon earlier assured that all 100 flagship projects would start within the term of the current administration.