President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday approved the adjustment in the cost and extension of the implementation period and loan validity for the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project (MMPBSIP) which aims to improve the safety and resilience of two major bridges in the National Capital Region (NCR) especially against earthquakes.
The President, in a social media post, said MMPBSIP covers “the critical rehabilitation of the Guadalupe Bridge” in Makati City which is “vital for our safety as we strengthen our infrastructure to withstand strong earthquakes, such as ‘The Big One’.”
MMPBSIP covers replacing, retrofitting and strengthening of both the Guadlupe Bridge and the Lambingan Bridge in Sta. Ana, Manila.
Marcos, who chairs the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, approved the increase of the budget for the two bridges by 30.33 percent or by P2.41 billion, from the current P7.93 billion to P10.34 billion.
He said the board also discussed the development of a traffic management plan that is being developed with experts to minimize the impact of traffic on commuters, and the modernization of Laguindingan International Airport which should “boost economic growth in the region through easy and efficient air travel.”
NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the board confirmed the ad referendum decisions on the upgrade, expansion, operation and maintenance of both the Laguindingan International Airport and the Bohol-Panglao International Airport during the meeting.
The board was also updated on the implementation of the 186 infrastructure flagship projects and how it relates with problematic official development assistance projects.
Balisacan said the NEDA Board also approved the inclusion of the secretaries of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Education to the board to ensure that the priorities of the administration with respect to agriculture and food security, as well as education and particularly the development of skills for a competitive economy are properly attended.
He said the board also approved the P3.8-billion Philippine Civil Service Modernization Project under the Civil Service Commission, which is a vital initiative for the development of human resource management processes in the public sector.
Balisacan said the modernization project, which would be implemented from 2025 to 2029, is “quite an important project for the development of human resource management processes in the public sector.”
