The Philippine National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has announced the approval of eight projects.

In addition, the NEDA Board also approved the proposal of the Department of Transportation to unbundle airport projects that were earlier approved by the NEDA Board in 2014, as well as the proposed guidelines to be applied for the processing of China-assisted projects under the ICC.

The eight projects approved by the NEDA Board are the following:

1. Scaling Up of the Second Cordillera Highlands Agricultural Resources Management Project (CHARMP 2) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).  The proposal is to scale up the project to cover 18 new barangays in 18 municipalities covered by the ongoing CHARMP 2 in the Cordillera Region, plus 9 barangays already covered under CHARMP 2. The project’s total estimated cost is PHP601.09 million (US$12.1 million).

2. Expansion of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) also of DA. The project will expand the existing Philippine Rural Development Project, with World Bank participation, to increase its program for agricultural infrastructure support. The project’s total estimated cost is PHP20.925 billion (US$420 million) and is expected to be completed by October 2020, which is still within the earlier-approved timeline of the original PRDP.

3. Improvement/ Widening of General Luis Road (Quezon City to Valenzuela City) Project  of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The 8.98km-project is expected to resolve the traffic situation in the target road network, which runs from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to Gen. MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City. Estimated project cost assuming a 24/7 work schedule is PHP2.956 billion (US$59 million).

4. Plaridel Bypass Road Project also of DPWH. The project will upgrade the 23.3 kilometer Plaridel Bypass road by expanding its carriageway from 2 lanes to 4 lanes. The project also includes the construction of accompanying road infrastructures along the road network such as bridges, interchanges, overpasses and an intersection. The road works will start from NLEX Burol Interchange Toll Plaza and extends to the Pan-Philippine Highway in San Rafael, Bulacan. The project’s total estimated cost is PHP10.496 billion (US$210 million).

5. New Cebu International Container Port Project of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) / Cebu Ports Authority. The project involves the construction of a new sea port in Consolacion, Cebu given that the existing Cebu International Port (CIP) in Cebu City is already congested at a utilization rate of 97%. The existing CIP is proposed to be used for general and break-bulk cargo.  The project is expected to reduce vessel waiting time and increase container yard capacity from the current 7,373 TEUs to 14,400 twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs.The project’s total estimated cost is PHP9.2 billion (US$184 million).

6. North-South Railway – South Line Project of the DOTr. The proposed railway upgrade is composed of two Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects:

• Project 1 – Commuter Line operating between Tutuban to Calamba using Build-Gradual Transfer Operate-and-Maintain (BGTOM) contractual arrangement (approximately 54 km).
• Project 2 – Long Haul Line operating between Calamba to Sorsogon, with branch from Calamba to Batangas City using Build-Transfer (BT) contractual arrangement (580 km).

The North-South Railway – South Line Project’s total estimated cost is PHP170.699 billion (US$3.4 billion).

7. Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project, Stage 2 of the National Irrigation Administration. The project is an ongoing irrigation project located in North Cotabato and the Maguidanao area. The project will divert irrigation water from Maridagao River to deliver timely and adequate irrigation water to 9,784 hectares of agricultural lands.The estimated total cost of the project is PHP5.444 billion (US$109 million).

8. New Nayong Pilipino at Entertainment City of the Department of Tourism. The PPP project involves the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a theme park located at the Entertainment City in the reclaimed Manila Bay area. The project includes putting up themed zones, historical and cultural attractions, recreational and retail attractions, including administration and site support and parking facilities. The project’s total estimated cost is PHP1.473 billion (US$29 million).

Apart from the projects, the NEDA Board also approved the proposal of the Department of Transportation to unbundle five of its airport projects that were approved by the NEDA Board in 2014 under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.  The rationale for the proposal is to expedite early completion of PPP selection and award.

The five projects, which all involve operation and maintenance (O&M), have a combined cost of PHP108.180 billion (US$2.17 billion). These five PPP airport projects are the:

1. Iloilo Airport Development O&M Project
2. Bacolod Airport Development, O&M Project
3. Laguindingan Airport Development, O&M Project
4. Davao Airport Development, O&M Project
5. New Bohol (Panglao) Airport Development, O&M Project.