Marcos says bypass project to boost farming industry in Bulacan

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Monday that infrastructure projects in Bulacan would boost the productivity of farming in the province.

This as the Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase III (ARBP III) Contract Package 4 was inaugurated in San Rafael, Bulacan. Marcos said the project is an important step "towards the realization of our dream of a better Philippines that is filled with hope, brimming with optimism, and teeming with boundless opportunities."

"With the enhanced road capacity and the substantially shortened travel time, this project will revolutionize not only the movement of people, but also of agricultural products and services, thereby boosting the productivity of the farming industry in Bulacan," Marcos said in a speech read by Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Floirendo Lagdameo Jr.

"In time, this will attract even more investments, create more employment opportunities, and perpetuate a positive cycle of development that will benefit the province of Bulacan and its residents," he added.

Marcos said the administration is eyeing to complete the ARBP III by March 2024.

In relation to the project, the President tasked the Department of Public Works and Highways to ensure that all outstanding issues—particularly those pertaining to the road right-of-way—will be addressed promptly.

He also expressed gratitude to the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA for its support on the project.

The Presidential Communications Office said that the ARBP III is just one of the several road projects that aim to ease congestion and spur development across the country.

There are a total of 197 infrastructure flagship projects, which include transportation connectivity projects, in various stages of development under the Build-Better-More Program to support the goal.—Anna Felicia Bajo/AOL, GMA Integrated News