By Digna Banzon – PNA
DAVAO CITY – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has called on government agencies to implement their respective infrastructure roadmaps and master plans to accelerate development in the Davao Region.
Mario M. Realista, chief economic development specialist of NEDA 11 (Davao Region), highlighted the projects under the Philippine Development Plan and the five-year Davao Regional Development Plan 2017-2022 during the 2018 Mindanao Economic Convention held at the University of Southeastern Philippines here on Wednesday.
Realista said the two plans are being assessed to ensure that implementing agencies have adopted identified programs and projects based on the completed roadmaps and master plans.
As far as infrastructure projects are concerned, the NEDA Board has already approved 23 of the 75 infrastructure flagship projects, worth PHP1.123 trillion, across the country, he said, adding that they are expected to proceed to the next stage of project development.
Under the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration, a total of 17 projects will be implemented in Mindanao, among them the rehabilitation of all Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric plant units; Mindanao railway project; Davao City Expressway project; Asbang small reservoir irrigation project; Laguindingan International Airport project; Davao International Airport Development project; and Panguil Bay Bridge project.
Realista said right-of-way acquisition issues need to be resolved immediately for these infrastructure programs to proceed.
He said that another “facilitative structure” is the Project, Facilitation, Monitoring and Innovation Task Force (PFMI), which focuses on improved coordination to resolve implementation bottlenecks.
He said that this year, infrastructure projects have been identified for inclusion in existing preparatory facilities to operationalize the PFMI Task Force.
Also included in the groundwork preparation is the streamlining of the approval process of permits of energy projects within a 30-day period, he added.
Realista noted that there are other policy actions needed to further accelerate infrastructure development, such as the inclusion of projects in the Public Investment Program PIP and Three-Year Rolling infrastructure Program.
Other policy actions are ensuring the availability of funds, as well as the capacity of implementing agencies in project management, including coordination of activities across agencies; push for the amendments of the BOT Law; Public Service Act; Government Procurement Reform Act; resolution of right-of-way operational policy issues; and the 24/7 construction of key infrastructure projects.
