NEWS

The Philippine government is fast-tracking the rollout of big-ticket infrastructure, including eight worth a total of 547.6 billion pesos ($10.7 billion) approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board chaired by President Duterte.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and Neda chief Ernesto Pernia said the government wants to approve as many infrastructure projects as possible to boost growth throughout the country and ease traffic congestion. MALACANANG PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

The latest Department of Budget and Management (DBM) data showed that public spending on infrastructure and other capital outlays jumped 28.6 per cent year-on-year to 80.9 billion pesos in November last year, sustaining the climb in disbursements under the government’s catch-up programme.

On Tuesday, the Neda Board green-lighted the projects earlier approved by the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee, as follows – the 175.7 billion peso Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, the 57.1 billion peso Mass Rapid Transit 4 between Quezon City and Taytay, Rizal province, and the 8.5 billion peso Edsa Greenways, which would be financed by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank.

Other projects include – the 189.5 billion peso Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island-Bridges, the 76.4 billion peso fourth Cebu-Mactan Bridge and Coastal Road, the 28.3 billion peso Davao City Coastal Bypass Road and Bucana Bridge, the 6.3 billion peso Maritime Safety Enhancement Project and the 5.9 billion peso Capas-Botolan Road.

The Neda Board also increased the project cost of Davao City Bypass to 46.8 billion pesos from 25.9 billion pesos previously, while also raising the cost of Samar Pacific Coastal Road by almost a tenth to 1.1 billion pesos.

“These projects are the building blocks of our people’s dreams and aspirations. As such, we intend to roll out as many as we can to ease congestion and spread growth throughout the country,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and Neda chief Ernesto Pernia said in a statement on Wednesday.

Officials said these projects would start implementation this year.

DBM data released on Thursday showed that the national government’s disbursements on infrastructure and other capital outlays in November last year rose from 62.9 billion pesos in 2018, although lower than October’s 82.2 billion pesos.

In November alone, the increase in infrastructure expenditures was attributed by the DBM to “the payment for completed and partially completed infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways such as roads, bridges and flood control structures, and the Department of Transportation such as airports and ports”.

But total infrastructure spending from January to November last year declined by 2.6 per cent to 709.4 billion pesos from 728.1 billion pesos during the first 11 months of 2018, no thanks to the election ban on projects ahead of the midterm elections last May as well as the delayed approval of the 3.7 trillion peso 2019 national budget.

Source: Phnom Penh Post