More than 20 infrastructure projects are being considered for the Luzon Economic Corridor, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.
“In the last steering committee meeting, NEDA together with the Department of Energy, Public Works and Highways, and Transportation presented the projects that might be considered by the steering committee,” Joseph Capuno, NEDA undersecretary, said in a press conference late last week.
“(There are) 21 identified projects that we presented to the Luzon Economic Corridor steering committee meeting about two months ago,” he added.
Capuno said the steering committee will finalize which projects will be prioritized under the tri-country agreement.
The Luzon Economic Corridor is the first Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment economic corridor in the Indo-Pacific region following the inaugural Trilateral United States-Japan-Philippines Leaders Meeting.
This will connect Subic Bay in Zambales, Clark in Pampanga, Manila and Batangas, accelerating investments in high-impact infrastructure projects, including railways, ports modernization, clean energy, semiconductor supply chains and agribusiness to drive economic growth in each hub.
The proposed projects include the Central Luzon Link Expressway Phase II, the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System New Clark City Extension, ICT Infrastructure in New Clark City, New Clark City Industrial Estate, Clark International Airport Infrastructure Expansion Phase I, Clark International Airport Infrastructure Expansion Phase II, Clark Urban Transport System, National Food Storage Terminal, Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, Subic Bay Bridge Project and Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Development Phase I.
Also included are the NSCR System, Luzon Bypass Infrastructure Project, Poro Point Seaport Modernization, Kalaanan Irrigation Project, North Luzon East Expressway, Central Luzon Bus Rapid Transit, Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas Railway Project, Manila Bay-Pasig River Laguna Lake Ferry System, Calamba-Batangas Railway and Southern Batangas Airport.
Meanwhile, NEDA secretary Arsenio Balisacan was also asked regarding the advantage of these projects becoming part of the Luzon Economic Corridor, since some of these are already part of the government’s infrastructure flagship projects.
“It will be just another source of funds for us. So to the extent that they are ready, it can move faster,” Balisacan said.
“For the Japanese, for example, they are very keen of expanding their operations in Batangas because they have already some zones in Batangas,” he added.
