Four more big-ticket infrastructure projects will be presented for approval of President Benigno Aquino III in the first meeting of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) next year, as the public-private partnership (PPP) Center seeks to rollout more projects before his administration ends.

“We’ll try to have one more meeting by January,” PPP Center Executive Director Cosette Canilao told reporters during the center’s year-end press briefing.

Canilao did not say how many more meetings the NEDA Board will have before the current administration ends its term.

The four projects pending approval are the NAIA Airport Development Project; the Batangas-Manila pipeline; Philippine Tourism Center of the Nayong Pilipino; and the Plaridel Bypass Tollroad.

According to the PPP website, the P74.56-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Development Project will upgrade all the terminals to meet international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Meanwhile, the P14.72-billion Batangas-Manila (BatMan) 1 Natural Gas Pipeline Project will transport natural gas to targeted markets in Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, and Metro Manila through transmission pipelines from Batangas to Metro Manila.

Also included in the list is the P1.58-billion New Nayong Pilipino at Entertainment City Project is envisioned to be a destination for foreign and local tourists.

It will be the first time for this project to be presented to the President.

“As a cultural theme park, it will be an experiential and creative showcase of the various elements and dimension of the Filipino culture, identities and traditions spanning past and contemporary periods,” the PPP said in its website.

Also up for approval is the P9.39-billion Plaridel Bypass Toll Road project which involves the conversion of the existing road into expressway standards. The road will be expanded to four-lane road with 3.50 meter width per lane and 2.5 meter width shoulder.

PPP approvals
Meanwhile, the NEDA Board approved in its meeting on Friday three projects:

The P4.79-billion Manila-Quezon Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) which will provide a 12.3-kilometer segregated BRT from Quezon Memorial Circle to Manila City Hall.

The P1.68-billion Integrated Marine Environment Monitoring System – Phase 2 of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR).

The project aims to improve and expand PHILO Phase I, particularly Vessel Monitoring System of the DA-BFAR, and integration of various databases including fishing vessel registry, ocean and weather data, stock assessment data, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing records, among others.

Thirdly, Harnessing Agribusiness Opportunities Through Robust and Vibrant Entrepreneurship of the Land Bank of the Philippines which includes two components: Credit assistance of up to PhP11.43 billion for agribusiness activities, and Generation of 21,700 employment opportunities during project implementation.

“These transport projects form part of the government’s master plan to interconnect areas in the country to make it easier and less costly to move people and goods across the country,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan in a separate statement. —JST, GMA News

18 December 2015
By Jon Viktor D. Casabuenas