P458-B DPWH budget to fund ‘most ambitious’ PH infra program in 2017

Mara Cepeda

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P458-B DPWH budget to fund ‘most ambitious’ PH infra program in 2017
Secretary Mark Villar says the DPWH's proposed 2017 budget, up by P61 billion from 2016, includes the P32.93-billion allotment for the Mindanao Logistics Infrastructure Network

MANILA, Philippines –  The proposed P458.61-billion budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will fund the country’s “most ambitious infrastructure program” in 2017, its chief told lawmakers on Tuesday, August 30.

The proposed 2017 appropriation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is P61 billion higher than this year’s P397.108 budget.

“The President has declared that infrastructure will be one of the main drivers in our country over the next few years….The infrastructure spending under the Duterte administration is the most ambitious infrastructure program in the history of our country,” DPWH Secretary Mark Villar told the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday.

Duterte had vowed to prioritize infrastructure spending in the proposed 2017 national budget. (READ: 2017 budget priorities: Infrastructure, agriculture, peace and order)

The proposed DPWH budget includes a P32.93-billion allotment for the Mindanao Logistics Infrastructure Network, the agency’s initiative to reduce logistics costs in  Mindanao by improving linkage roads to key ports and other production areas.

In the works

In his presentation, Villar said the DPWH is planning to build and upgrade local access roads to tourism destinations, seaports, airports, and economic zones.

The plan includes agriculture-related infrastructure to improve access to production areas and water impounding projects for irrigation and flood management.

These include the following:

  • Taal Lake Circumferential Road, San Nicolas-Sta Teresita, Alitagtag, Batangas
  • Gurel-Bukod-Kabayan-Buguias Road (leading to Mt Pulag, Bulalacao Lakes, Kabayan Mummies), Bokod, Kabayan and Buguias, Benguet
  • Cagaray Circumferential Road, Bacacay, Albay leading to Misibis Resort and white beaches in Albay
  • Tatay-El Nido Road, Palawan
  • Jct (Tagbilaran East Road, TER) Guindulman-Anda-Badiang Cogtong Road leading to beaches and resorts, Anda, Bohol
  • Borongan, Llorente Closed Canopy Forest Area, Maydolong, Eastern Samar
  • Island Garden City of Samal Circumferential Road, Davao del Norte

The DPWH wants to decongest traffic through the construction of the following infrastructure:

High standard highways/expressways Interchanges/flyovers/underpasses By-passes/diversion roads

NAIA Expressway

Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway

NLEX Harbor Link, Segment 10

Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3

Plaridel By-Pass Road, Phase II

NLEX Harbor Link, Segment 8.2

Central Luzon Link Expressway – PHase I (Tarlac-Cabanatuan)

Cavite-Laguna Expressway

SLEX TR4, Sto Tomas-Lucena

C6 – Phase I, Southeast Metro Manila Expressway

NLEX-SLEX Connector Road

Sen Gil Puyal Avenue-Paseo de Roxas/Makati Avenue Underpass

C-2 (Gov Forbes St)/R-7 (Espana St) Interchange Project

MMICP VI-EDSA/North Avenue-West Avenue Interchange

MMICP VI-North Avenue-Mindanao Avenue Interchange

MMICP VI C-5/Green Meadows/Acropolis/Calle Industria Exchange

Bonificio Global City-Ortigas Center Link Road Project

Sta Monica-Lawton Bridge

Lawton Avenue-Globel City Viaduct

Meralco Avenue-Sta Monica

EDSA Taft Flyover

UP-Miriam-Ateneo Viaduct along C-5/Katipunan, C-5

Candon City By-Pass Road, Ilocos Sur

Laoag City By-Pass Road, Ilocos Norte

Plaridel By-Pass Road, Phase II

Carcar By-Pass Road, Carcar City, Cebu

Palo West By-Pass Road, Palo, Leyte

Tacloban City By-Pass Road, Leyte

Cotabato City East Diversion Road

Alae By-Pass Road

Davao City By-Pass Construction Project, Mindanao

The agency is also studying the following proposed projects:

  • Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike
  • Central Luzon Link Expressway – Phase II (Cabanatuan-San Jose)
  • Manila Bay Integrated Flood Control, Coastal Defense and Expressway Project
  • R7 Expressway
  • North Luzon Expressway East Phases I and II
  • Pasig Marikina Expressway
  • East-West Connection Expressway
  • C-5 Kalayaan-Bagong Ilog Improvement Project

The DPWH is also studying the feasibility of proposed inter-island linkage projects such as the P4.863-billion Panguil Bay Bridge, and the P21.67 billion Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridge Project.

Apart from these, Villar said the DPWH wants to complete and update the flood control and drainage master plans and feasibility studies of the country’s 18 major river basis and other “critical” principal rivers. – Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.