THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board has revised the list of priority government infrastructure projects, adding 32 new ones and delisting 36 during a meeting on Tuesday.

The move reduced the number of infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) to 185 projects from 198. The total value of the new list is P9.14 trillion, up from the previous P8.8 trillion.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, who is vice chairman of the NEDA board, said the government was prioritizing projects to ensure their efficient and accelerated implementation.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. Photo from NEDA

"Our list of IFPs under the Build Better More Program serves as a prioritization tool to identify high-impact infrastructure projects that require immediate government support," he said in a statement.

"By rationalizing the list, we ensure the implementation of as many important infrastructure projects of high significance as possible," he added.

The NEDA did not detail the revisions, only pointing to the IFP dashboard on its website. As of press time, however, it still listed 198 projects.

Balisacan said that some projects taken off the list would still proceed under regular government programs.

Socioeconomic Planning Undersecretary Joseph Capuno told the NEDA board on Tuesday that 74 out of the 198 projects were already being implemented as of the fourth quarter of last year.

Thirty, meanwhile, were approved for implementation, 10 were awaiting government approval and 83 were undergoing project or pre-project preparations.

One IFP project, the Samar Pacific Coastal Road, was said to have been completed last June 30 and inaugurated the following month. Of 74 ongoing projects, 19 are set to be completed this year.

"We will continue to monitor, review and update the list of IFPs as necessary to prioritize the most important infrastructure projects," Balisacan said.

"The NEDA board is committed to approving measures needed to expedite the implementation of the Build Better More Program," he added.

The NEDA said its board had also approved modifications to the Davao City Bypass Construction Project's scope, including a supplemental loan of P14.6 billion that raised the total project cost to P70.8 billion.

The implementation period will also be extended to Dec. 31, 2027.

The project aims to reduce the travel time between Davao City and Panabo City to 49 minutes from the current one hour and 44 minutes.

"While this project was first approved by the NEDA board in 2015, its implementation was hampered by the pandemic," Balisacan noted.

"The changes in the project scope and cost will ensure that this key infrastructure project receives the necessary support for its successful completion."

The board also approved the Environment department's Integrated Water Resources Master Plan, which will serve as the overall national policy for effectively managing water resources in the country.

"We prioritize infrastructure development as a key driver of our economy to improve the lives of every Filipino," Balisacan said.

"While significant policy reforms have already been put in place to address long-standing constraints to sustainable and resilient infrastructure, we recognize the need for further efforts to boost infrastructure investment and execution," he added.

"Thus, we will closely monitor our infrastructure flagship projects to ensure they are completed and delivered on time."

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