‘Game-changing’ projects in the pipeline
THE PHILIPPINES’ state planning agency, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), will pitch for President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval a list of 55 flagship, “game-changing” projects that the administration aims to roll out and complete before 2022.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and Neda director general Ernesto Pernia saids after the meeting of NEDA’s Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Cabinet Committee late on Tuesday that the Duterte administration “will change the landscape with game-changing infrastructure”.
NEDA director Jonathan Uy said that 31 of the 55 projects would already cost 1.2 trillion pesos (Bt827 billion), while the other bigger projects were still under feasibility study.
Uy noted that the project cost for state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority to develop the sprawling Clark Green City was yet to be firmed up but was expected to reach 1.1 trillion pesos.
By flagship projects, Pernia said NEDA was looking at those that would encourage additional other projects in the localities. “These will be catalytic projects,” he said.
NEDA undersecretary Rolando Tungpalan said these proposed flagship projects would also focus on spurring development outside of Metro Manila. “The projects will encourage moving out of Manila-centric development,” Tungpalan said.
While declining to name specific projects pending the President’s approval, Uy said they were eyeing “big” projects, including bridges that would connect islands across the archipelago, airports and ports, among others.
Pernia said that another project possibly on the list was the railway system that would connect Manila to Clark.
The comprehensive list will cover projects to be funded not only by development partners such as the Chinese and Japanese governments as well as multilateral lenders including the Asian Development Bank, among others.
