The Philippines expects the steering committee of the Luzon Economic Corridor to trim down to five or six the number of projects to be funded and implemented under the initiative mainly in infrastructure and energy, acceding to Secretary Frederick Go, special assistant to the President for investment and economic affairs.
Go said the Philippines has presented to the committee 43 projects – 28 in the first meeting and 15 in the second – it wants the US and Japan to consider for implementation under the Luzon Economic Corridor.
He said the rail, which will connect the ecozones Clark, Subic and Batangas, is clearly a priority as has been publicly announced.
In the first steering committee, the Philippines presented projects from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, the National Economic and Development Authority, and the Department of Transportation. In the second, it added projects from Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Department of Energy and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
“The ideal number should be around five or six (so we) can focus and move faster.
Infrastructure is always number one on the list. That’s why the rail is an infra project. If you consider ports, it would be an infra project as well. Energy might be number two,” Go said.
The next meeting of the steering committee is in November.
