About P6.1 trillion worth of the government’s Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs) will be implemented in Luzon, according to Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
Diokno, during the Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) held in Laoag yesterday, said 132 projects or 68 percent of the total IFPs are located in the biggest island group in the country.
Diokno said these include the Laoag International Airport Development Project, EDSA Greenways, Naga Airport Development Project, Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway Extension Project and the Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur-Abra Irrigation Project.
“Improving road networks and increasing the capacity of our airports are important to revitalize the tourism industry, especially in places like Laoag which serves as the main gateway for other destinations in the region,” Diokno said.
“With vast renewable energy potential and massive reserves of mineral resources for clean energy technologies, the Philippines is determined to be a world leader in the Race to Net Zero. And the Ilocos region will be a strategic partner in this mission,” he added.
Dubbed as the “Renewable Energy Capital of Southeast Asia,” the finance chief said Ilocos Norte is emerging to be a promising player in the clean energy arena, being home to the first and largest wind farms in the country.
Just last week, the economic team also held PEBs in Davao and Cebu.
The government has pipelined a total of 194 IFPs all over the country worth P8.3 trillion to address physical and digital connectivity, water resources, agriculture, health, power and energy. – Angela Celis
