The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has presented the country’s infrastructure flagship projects at an international convention in South Korea.
Emil Sadain, DPWH senior undersecretary in charge of infrastructure flagship projects under the Build Better More program, discussed in the recent Korean Society of Civil Engineers (KSCE) 2023 Convention the Philippines’ infrastructure landscape, particularly DPWH’s flagship projects on roads, bridges and flood control structures, including several big-ticket projects supported by Korea official development assistance (ODA).
“This convention is an opportune occasion to share with the world some of our flagship projects that are underway and in the pipeline, some of which are made possible through ODA and are testaments of growing bilateral relations with the Republic of Korea,” said Sadain.
Among the flagship projects of DPWH assisted by the Korean government are the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project in Northern Samar which was inaugurated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan last July; the 3.17-kilometer Panguil Bay Bridge Project that will connect the City of Tangub in Misamis Occidental to the Municipality of Tubod in Lanao del Norte targeted to open to vehicular traffic by the first half of 2024; and the Pampanga Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.
The engineering services for the construction of two sea-crossing bridges connecting Panay Island, Guimaras Island and Negros Island with a total length of 32.47 km located in the Western Visayas Region is also covered by a loan from the government of the Republic of Korea.
A fact-finding mission from the national headquarters of Export-Import Bank of Korea visited Manila last May for possible enhanced cooperation under the Economic Development Promotion Facility, which is a new ODA loan program of the Korean government to cover the financial gap for large-scale infrastructure.
Meanwhile, a proposal by Sadain for KSCE and the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) for international cooperation and technical collaboration in 2024 was accepted by KSCE.
KSCE is expected to participate in future PICE-organized civil engineering events for opportunities to exchange information and ideas, network, and share knowledge and technology advancement through a wide range of activities, including workshops, meetings and conferences, to better serve the public in each country and advance the civil engineering profession globally.
