DPWH to ‘re-prioritize’ infrastructure projects, says Bonoan

The government's infrastructure program should be “sustainable and resilient” and high-impact projects will be re-prioritized as part of the economic recovery plan amid the pandemic, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary (DPWH) Manuel Bonoan has said.

“Kailangan ang infrastructure program natin should be sustainable and resilient… actually, there are several programs that we need to implement,” Bonoan said in the latest episode of The Mangahas Interviews.

“Sabi nga ni President Bongbong Marcos Jr. noong nagkausap kami yung mga Build, Build, Build (BBB) projects that were started sa panahon ni [dating] Presidenteng Duterte, dapat ipagpatuloy natin ang mga programang nasimulan niya at tapusin natin sa madaling panahon para mapakinabangan natin dito sa economic recovery natin,” he added.

(Our infrastructure program should be sustainable and resilient... actually, several programs there are several programs that we need to implement. As President Marcos said when we talked about the Build, Build, Build projects that were started in the administration of former President Duterte, we should continue the programs and finish them as soon as possible so that we can benefit from these projects for our economic recovery.)

The BBB project is the flagship program of then President Rodrigo Duterte's administration. It has a total of 119 infrastructure projects under its belt with a whopping budget of P5.08 trillion.

In April, the DPWH said that only 12 out of 119 infrastructure flagship projects (IFP) were completed, totaling P70.65 billion or 1.4% of the P5.08 trillion total cost of investments to complete the 119 IFPs.

Last month, Marcos said the government will allot five to six percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for infrastructure projects.

The president also said that he is not keen on suspending any programs that he inherited from Duterte and he plans to expand it.

High-priority projects

Bonoan said that Marcos wants to address traffic congestion problems and interconnection projects first to speed up the transportation of products and services.

“We will look into the list yung mga nakalinyang 80 projects natin all over the country and we will re-prioritize them. Yung mga high-impact projects, 'yun muna ang dapat unahin natin para makatulong sa economic recovery natin,” he said.

(We will look into the list of our lined up 80 projects all over the country and we will reprioritize them. The high-impact projects are the ones we should prioritize to help our economic recovery.)

To make this possible, the DPWH chief said they would continue to encourage the participation of the private sector in infrastructure development.

“Yung mga high-impact projects that are financially viable with the private sector we will continue to encourage the participation of public-private partnership. Kasi karamihan naman ng mga ito if it is financially viable for the kababayan natin and the private sector, we would rather help them implement it through the private sector,” Bonoan said.

(Those high-impact projects that are financially viable with the private sector will continue to encourage the participation of public-private partnership. Because most of them, if it is financially viable for our countrymen and the private sector, we would rather help them implement it through the private sector.)

Meanwhile, he said that the North Luzon-South Luzon connector road is about 56% complete, while the NLEX-SLEX connecting roads would be completed by early next year.

“Itong Cavite-Laguna expressway ay 44 kilometers ito at this is already 63% complete, ito na lang sa Cavite segment ang tinutukan. Marami pa po katulad ng papunta sa Lucena, yung TR4 will be completed to 3 years. This is 64 kilometers [long],” Bonoan furthered.

(This Cavite-Laguna expressway is 44 kilometers long and this is already 63% complete. They are focusing on the Cavite segment. There are many more projects such as the TR4 road going to Lucena. It will be completed in 3 years. This is 64 kilometers long.)

Marcos earlier said that the government can build on already existing train lines by modernizing the old railway systems.

These railway projects include the North-South Commuter Railway System; the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project; the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway System; the 12-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite Extension; the 23-kilometer MRT-7; and the Common Station that will connect LRT-1, MRT-3 and MRT-7.

According to Marcos, they will also pursue the completion of railways outside the National Capital Region such as the 102-kilometer Mindanao Railway Project; Panay Railway Project; and the Cebu railway system which will be integrated as a vital part of the transport and communications systems.

He also vowed to improve the roads and transportation systems in highly-urbanized and key cities across the country namely the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, Davao High Priority Bus System, Ilocos Norte Transportation Hub, and the El Nido Transport Terminal. — BM, GMA News