The board of the National Economic and Development Authority approved in its 3rd meeting seven high impact projects, many of them financed by official development assistance.
The National Economic and Development Authority Board, chaired by President Marcos, approved seven impact projects among them the UP-PGH cancer center; New Dumaguete Airport project; the Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project; the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation (InFRA) project Phase 1; the Metro Davao Public Transport Modernization Project and MRT 3 Rehabilitation project.
The board also approved the full utilization of the JICA Loan Balance for the NAIA CNS/ATM project and the corresponding loan validity extension. It will be recalled that the NAIA communication, navigation and surveillance systems for air traffic management (CNS/ATM), which shut down on January 1 causing great risks and discomfort to airlines and passengers.
In a briefing with Malacanang reporters, Balisacan said the 3rd NEDA Board meeting approved the cancer center of UP-PGH as the first public private partnership (PPP) under Marcos and the solicited build-transfer-operate proposal for it, which would offer comprehensive, high quality and affordable oncology care services while helping pay for itself over 30 years.
The project will upgrade existing PGH capacity of 300 beds plus outpatient care, to be integrated in a new dedicated cancer hospital that will modernize UP-PGH’s health infrastructure and demonstrate how the country’s public health services can be at par with private care in terms of medical quality and support services.
He explained there is no privatization program for PGH services as the government shall own the entire facility and PGH shall continue to operate as a public hospital.
In the coming weeks, our experts in UP-PGH, as the implementing agency, will bare the specific details on the project to inform the public and interested private partners.
Once completed, it will be one of the largest cancer centers in Asia in terms of bed capacity.
He also said the board approved four projects proposed to be financed through official development assistance loan financing totaling P 117 billion to commence this year.
The Board also increased the cost of the MRT 3 Rehabilitation project by P 7.6 billion, from P 21.9 billion to P 29.6 billion; the JICA loan balance of P2.12 billion to be used for the CNS/ATM of NAIA.
The Dumaguete Airport of the DoTr in Bacong, Negros Oriental will be developed with
domestic and international standards for operational safety and efficiency.
This project will replace the existing Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport due to physical and operational constraints involving the latter. The New Dumaguete Airport shall enhance the province’s tourism and trade potential, economic activities, and standard of living.
Total cost is P17 billion, of which P13 billion will be funded through ODA, or Official Development Assistance, from the Korean government through the Export-Import Bank of Korea-Economic Development Cooperation Fund.
The Philippine government, through the DOTr, will shoulder the remaining amount of about P 3.9 billion. The project will be implemented within seven years.
The Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project aims to increase agricultural productivity, resiliency, and access to markets and services of organized farmers and fisherfolk groups in selected areas.
It will cover selected ancestral domains in Mindanao from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and the BARMM. It will be pivotal in reducing poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity among indigenous peoples. It will improve the economic situation of the indigenous peoples in Mindanao and further strengthen the capacity of LGUs to implement support programs that address weak market linkages and poor infrastructure in geographically isolated ancestral domains.
The project cost is P 6.6 billion, of which P5.3 billion is to be financed through ODA loan from the World Bank, while the balance of P 863 million and P 461 million will be shouldered by the Philippine government through the Department of Agriculture and LGUs, respectively.
The InFRA project Phase 1
Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation (InFRA) Project – Phase I of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) aims to mitigate flood damage, reduce flood risks, and improve climate resilience in three major river basins in the country.
The project's outputs are: the improvement of strategic flood risk management planning; the development of flood protection infrastructure in three target major river basins, namely, Abra, Ranao, and Tagum-Libuganon in the Mindanao; and lastly, the strengthening of community-based flood risk management measures.
Estimated cost is P20 billion through an ODA loan from the Asian Development Bank.
Further, the NEDA Board also approved the request for changes on two ongoing projects of the DOTr and the DPWH.
On the Metro Davao Transport Modernization project, the request for change in scope, increased cost and extension of implementation period were approved.
The project involves delivering a modern, high-priority bus system for Metro Davao, wherein interconnected bus services will be prioritized along 29 routes. The implementation period for this project is extended from 2023 to 2029.
Likewise, the MRT Line 3 rehab project's request for changes in scope, increased project cost, extension of implementation period, additional loan and second loan reallocation were approved.
This project involves upgrading MRT3 to its original as-designed state with provision for capacity expansion in the future. All subsystems will be restored, renewed, or upgraded, including the tracks, signaling system, power supply system, overhead catenary system, and communications system, as well as maintenance and station equipment.
The project will also involve integrating other MRT3-related projects, such as the Common Station, the Dalian Trains, and the transition to a 4-car train configuration. This rehabilitation project aims to enhance the safety and level of service of the MRT3 and to promote its use to help alleviate the worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
Finally, the board also approved the full utilization of JICALoan balance of P2.12 billion for CNS/ATM maintenance and resiliency enhancement with the following components: maintenance contracts, ultimate fallback system, and the feasibility study for the independent back-up system. The approval includes a 60-month loan validity extension from 2023 to 2028 to cover the preceding intended utilization.
This approval shall enable the upgrade of our air transport facilities and improve passenger experience by enhancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of air traffic service in Philippine airspace following international standards.
In line with the strategies identified under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the approval of these high-impact projects is a manifestation of the Marcos Administration’s strong commitment to improving the quality of life of the Filipino people.
Tags: #NEDAboard, #ICC, #sevenprojects, #ODAs, #PPP