The Department of Transportation (DOTr) aims to complete 163 infrastructure projects amounting to P88.8 billion before the end of the year.
DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, said at the virtual Pre-State of the Nation Address Economic Development and Infrastructure Clusters’ Forum of the total projects, the aviation sector accounts for P15.3 billion for 68 projects; maritime, P5.8 billion; social tourism, P1.9 billion; railways P34.4 billion for three projects; and road sector, P30 billion.
This year, two big-ticket rail projects are set to start operations — Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT-2) extension and the common station for the railway system in Metro Manila.
The LRT-2 extension, with two additional stations in Marikina and Antipolo, is set for inauguration this June while the common station, a project that was delayed for nine years, will finally be partially operable by the fourth quarter of 2021.
For aviation, DOTr said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has completed 121 airport projects including the Bohol Panglao International Airport, the country’s first eco- airport inaugurated three years ago.
Bicol International Airport, which was delayed for 11 years, will be finally finished this year. Progress rate is currently at almost 80 percent, according to Tugade.
The present administration also completed flagship projects, such as the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the world-class Passenger Terminal Building II of Clark International Airport.
From 2016 to present, the maritime sector, DOTr and Philippine Ports Authority have completed 426 seaport projects in different parts of the country, including Cagayan de Oro Port’s Passenger Terminal Building — the biggest port terminal in the country.
Some ports that have been battered and totally devastated by 2013 calamities and left unrepaired also underwent major facelift. These are the Ormoc and Tacloban Ports that were destructed by Super Typhoon Yolanda, and the Tagbilaran and Maribojoc Ports which sustained significant damages in the aftermath of the Bohol earthquake.
At the forum, Tugade also reported that despite the implementation of the community quarantine, public transportation is now 80 percent operational.
“The percentage of operation of public utility vehicles in Metro Manila is already at 80 percent; this equates to 99,000 units available, 720 routes as of April 12, 2021,” he said.
In the same forum the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), reported it is on track to complete major infrastructure projects before the end of the current administration despite the pandemic.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said the agency has completed, maintained, widened, upgraded and rehabilitated 26,494 kilometers of roads in the country, such as the Urdaneta City Bypass Road, Sorsogon City Coastal Bypass Road, Sariaya Bypass Road, Laguna Lake Highway, among others.
DPWH said 2,192 km. in tourism roads were also finished, improving access and connectivity to tourism gateway service centers and tourism sites. This is part of the tourism road infrastructure program.
For the agriculture infrastructure support program, DPWH reported completing 1,835 km. of farm to market roads and 901 km. of farm to mill roads.
For the Metro Manila logistics improvement program, Villar said three bridge projects are set to be completed this year: the Binondo-Intramuros, Estrella-Pantaleon and Bonifacio Global City-Ortigas Center projects.
