Infra, digital projects under Marcos: Progress slow but steady

AFTER assuming office on June 30, 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. laid down his administration's 10-point agenda for the Philippines' economic renewal and long-term growth. These include:– National reopening: Accelerating the reopening of the country's borders to tourism and for the economy to restore and create employment opportunities. – Public-private partnership: Increasing engagement and investment from the private sector on government projects that will benefit Filipinos. – Infrastructure development: Embodied by the Build Better More program, which takes off from the Build Build Build program of former president Rodrigo Duterte's administration, to help address the inadequacies in the country's infrastructure. – Fiscal discipline: Improving the tax collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs. – Transparent and efficient governance: Establishing efficient government processes, such as mandatory online services, to promote transparency, shorten turnaround time and limit opportunities for corruption. – Digitalization: Improving internet connectivity for Filipinos. Of these, infrastructure development has been given special attention. In his inaugural State of the Nation Address in July 2022, President Marcos said it was "a very high priority in our drive for growth and employment."The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) says the government currently has 185 big-ticket infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) with an indicative total cost of P9.55 trillion (over $163 billion)Of these projects, those under physical connectivity stand at 134 worth P8.28 trillion, NEDA data shows. These include 24 rail infrastructure projects, which are worth P3.2 trillion; 52 roads and bridge projects, which are worth P1.9 trillion; 16 air transport projects, which are worth P1.1 trillion; 25 urban transportation projects, which are worth P582.3 billion; and five maritime projects, which are worth P209.4 billion.There are also 29 water resource projects, which are worth P727 billion; nine agriculture-related projects, which are worth P213 billion; five health-related projects, which are worth P92.28 billion; and three digital connectivity projects, which are worth P164.78 billion.For fiscal year 2023, infrastructure disbursement was at P1.42 trillion, or 5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), the Presidential Communications Office said. For 2024, programmed spending on infrastructure represents 5.6 percent of the GDP.More than half — 50.8 percent — of the IFPs are ongoing or approved for implementation.Already tagged as complete are the Calapan Port Passenger Terminal Building, Clark International Airport New Terminal Building, North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Connector and the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project.Those still being implemented include the Light Rail Transit 1 Cavite Extension, Metro Manila Subway Phase 1, Metro Rail Transit Line 7, North-South Commuter Railway, North Triangle Common Station, Cebu Bus Rapid Transit System, Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway, Boracay Circumferential Road, Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road, Davao City Coastal Road Project, C-5 Southlink Expressway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Central Luzon Link Expressway Phase 1, Metro Cebu Expressway, NLEX Segment 8.2, Panguil Bay Bridge, New Manila International Airport, Sangley Point International Airport Project Phase 2, New Bukidnon Airport, and Regional Fish Port Project for the Greater Capital Region (formerly upgrading/rehabilitation of the Navotas Fish Port Complex)."By expanding and upgrading our infrastructure, we aim to create enabling conditions for high-quality job creation for millions of Filipinos, raise the competitiveness of our local industries, diversify our growth drivers to strengthen economic resilience, and enhance regional connectivity by linking our leading and lagging regions," NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said during the Build Better More Infrastructure Forum on July 12.On digitalization, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has rolled out Phase 1 of the National Fiber Backbone project — stretching 1,245 kilometers from Laoag, in Ilocos Norte province to Quezon City and linking 14 provinces — to ramp up the Philippines' internet connectivity."This backbone links us together — it serves as the economic spine that props up our growth and supports our development," President Marcos said at the project's launch in Pasay City on April 19."More importantly, we understand that in order for Filipinos to reach their full potential, we must invest in a fast and reliable internet," he added.The DICT also implemented the Broadband ng Masa program, establishing the national fiber backbone and middle-mile connectivity; and the Free Public Internet Access program, which provides free and secure internet connectivity through its 13,462 sites nationwide.To date, this internet access program has put up sites in 6,929 locations, serving 1,401 cities and municipalities. These include 3,040 sites in isolated and disadvantaged areas as of June.