5 infrastructure projects subject to review – NEDA
Credit to Author: ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES| Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2019 17:20:05 +0000
FIVE out of 75 infrastructure flagship projects of the Duterte administration will be reviewed due to concerns raised about them, with two of these facing possible removal, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
In a status report sent to reporters late last week, NEDA said one of these projects was the Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Phase 3 (Bonifacio Global City/Ninoy Aquino International Airport), whose removal from the list of 75 projects was dependent upon the confirmation of the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and the Bases and Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).
Another project that also faces possible delisting, depending on the DoTr’s confirmation, is the Metro Manila BRT Line 2 (Edsa/Central), about which the NEDA received from the DoTr a letter dated Feb. 27, 2018 that cited the Asian Development Bank in saying “the project may not be appropriate and economically viable, citing highly technical difficulties and considerations.”
Third is the National Power Corp.’s (Napocor or NPC) Agus 6, Unit 4 major rehabilitation project, of which NEDA said that “per consultation with NPC held on March 26, 2018, the project will be included in the scope of the rehabilitation of all Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Plant Units.”
The Department of Energy’s Agus 3 Hydroelectric Plant project is also up for review, as it would be funded and implemented by the private sector.
Completing the list is the Department of Public Works and Highway’s Sheridan-J.P. Rizal Bridge project in Quezon City, which was replaced by the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge project that would connect Makati and Pasig cities.
21 projects to be done by 2022
NEDA also said in the report that out of the 75 infrastructure projects, 21 are expected to be completed by 2022, while the “remaining 54 projects will be completed beyond 2022, but [whose implementation may begin] during the current administration.”
Agency data showed that the 21 projects have a total cost of P187.62 billion; the remaining 54, P2.23 trillion.
The 21 projects were not identified.
As of July 31, the 75 projects have an indicative total investment requirement of P2.40 trillion. Of this amount, P2.01 trillion would be coursed through Official Development Assistance, while P238 billion would come from government funds.
Eight projects would be implemented through private-public partnership, while one project would be a purely private initiative.