MUCH of the achievements and accomplishments of the Marcos Jr. Administration rests on the pace of its national infrastructure program, otherwise known as "Build Better More."
We note this because the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is also the builder of many facilities of the Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Education, Department of Trade and Industry, Commission on Higher Education, state colleges and universities, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and other pivotal agencies of the government.
Most importantly, the DPWH is now in the thick of review and operations to solve the extensive flooding problem in Central Luzon, particularly Pampanga and Bulacan.
One could imagine the massive hit the business community and the economy is suffering because of the flooded North Luzon Expressway and the concomitant long lines of vehicles that make up the horrendous traffic jam in the San Simon, Pampanga segment of NLEX.
We dare say that what the PBBM administration lacked in the agriculture sector has been more than made up for by accomplishments in infrastructure development.
Credit should go to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan and Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain.
The "Build Better More" program in a nutshell:
From July, 2022 to May, 2023, a total of 4,082 kilometers of roads were constructed, maintained, widened, upgraded and rehabilitated; 497 bridges were constructed, widened, upgraded, rehabilitated and strengthened; 2,103 flood-control projects were completed; 4,038 classrooms were constructed; 216 kilometers of farm-to-market and 8 kilometers farm-to-mill roads were completed; 55 evacuation centers were built, and 6,002 rainwater collectors were installed.
In the same period, DPWH also completed the implementation of 138 kilometers of roads leading to tourism destinations under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program in convergence with the Department of Tourism; 81 kilometers of roads under the Roads Leveraging Linkages of Industry and Trade Program with the Department of Trade and Industry; and 18 kilometers of roads under the Katuparan Program in collaboration with the Department of Transportation.
Among its programs, the department's Inter-Island Linkage Bridge Program takes precedence because it provides seamless and inclusive connectivity thru the construction of 12 short and long span bridges with an aggregate length of 90 kilometers.
The government aims to obtain by November 2023 the loan approval for the civil works construction of the 32.15 kilometer - Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge. The completion of this mega bridge project will reduce travel time between Bataan and Cavite from 5 hours to less than 45 minutes.
The procurement of the consulting services for detailed engineering design for the 32.47-kilometer Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges Project is ongoing. Travel time from Panay Island to Negros Island will be shortened from 3 to one hour.
The 4.01-kilometer Samal Island-Davao City Connector Bridge broke ground last October 27, 2022 and its construction is ongoing. The project aims to reduce travel time from 55 minutes via RORO to 5 minutes.
The construction of Panguil Bay Bridge is targeted to be completed next year. Once completed, travel time between Tubod Municipality in Lanao Del Norte and Tangub City in Misamis Occidental will be reduced from 2.5 hours to just 7 minutes using the bridge.
Finally, there were many completed road projects, among them are: the 22.4-kilometer Pangasinan-Nueva Vizcaya Road; 29.7-kilometer Lutiman – Guicam - Olutanga Road, Province of Zamboanga Sibugay; 11.6-kilometer Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project phase 1, and the Flood Risk Management Project Contract Package 2 along Cagayan De Oro River.
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