President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said he would not suspend any ongoing infrastructure projects that benefit the people as he pledged to expand the government infrastructure program to include other sectors to boost the country’s growth and employment.
In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said his government would build on the foundation established by his predecessor former President Rodrigo Duterte, keep the momentum, and aspire to build more.
“We will continue to study the proposals that have been made. Infrastructure development spending will be sustained at 5 percent to 6 percent of GDP,” he said in his SONA.
The planned expansion of infrastructure projects, he said, would be possible if the government continues to encourage private sector participation in its development programs.
Highlighting the importance of Public Private Partnerships or PPPs, he said the administration’s infrastructure development would include many other sectors such as agriculture, tourism, general economic activity, and even governance.
The chief executive also put premium on developing the Philippine rail transport system, saying railways offer great potential being the cheapest way of transporting goods and passengers.
The government can build upon already existing lines by modernizing these old railway systems, he said, noting dozens of railway projects in Manila and in other regions in various stages of implementation, with a combined cost of P1.9 trillion.
Marcos vowed to finish building the current portfolio of investments such as 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.
Outside Metro Manila, larger-scale railway systems include the 102-kilometer Mindanao Railway Project, the Panay Railway Project, and the Cebu railway system.
At the same time, the President also vowed to continue improving the country’s roads and transportation systems in key cities throughout the country through various projects such as the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, Davao High Priority Bus System, Ilocos Norte Transportation Hub, and the El Nido Transport Terminal.
“My order to the Department of Transportation or DOTr is really very simple: full speed ahead!” he said.
He pointed out that improving the Philippine railway system, along with modernizing existing airports and seaports, would maximize the nation’s strategic location in the Pacific and enhance domestic connectivity. PND
