Five multi-billion peso projects set in Mindanao under Duterte

March 9, 2018

DAVAO CITY – Five multi-billion peso projects under the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program would be implemented in Mindanao to widen inclusion of the poor to ongoing implementation of the projects and to open opportunities after the projects would have been completed.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez told the Philippine Economic Briefing Friday the five projects in Mindanao are: the P5.4-billion Malitubog-Maridagao (Mal-Mar) Irrigation Project Phase 2 in North Cotabato and Maguindanao, the P4.86-billion Panguil Bay Bridge project that would connect Tangub City in Misamis Occidental and Tubod in Lanao del Norte; expansion and improvement projects in Davao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport worth P40.57 billion and P14.6 billion, respectively,; and the 102-kilometer Mindanao Railway Project Phase 1, Segment 1 worth P35.26 billion that would connect the cities of Davao, Tagum, and Digos.

The Mal-Mar project began in the 1990’s but it remained unfinished due to  attacks on construction workers and destruction of construction materials by fighters of the Moro National Liberation and later by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The irrigation project would irrigate almost 10,000 hectares of land in 56 conflict-affected areas, Dominguez said.

The Paguil Bay bridge is estimated to be finished by 2021 while the two airport projects eyed for completion by 2025.

Dominguez said the projects for Mindanao was meant “to bring isolated communities to the mainstream markets and urban centers”.

“These projects demonstrate this administration’s commitment to move Mindanao from the margins to make it a center for agriculture and industry,” he told reporters in a news briefing shortly before the Philippine Economic Briefing.

Of the funding requirement, Dominguez cited the role of the ADB of having “been generously assisting us in funding important infrastructure projects that would spur economic development in this island”.

“In fact, we just recently signed in January this year the $380 million loan from the ADB that will help improve about 280 kilometers of national roads and bridges in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Tawi-Tawi,” he said.

Another infrastructure project in the pipeline to be funded by the ADB “is the $70-million Davao Public Transport Modernization Project which is designed to improve public transport infrastructure and services in Davao City.

Ivan  Cortez, city planning officer, said the feasibility study of the bus transport system was being finalized would be submitted next month to the regional National Economic Development Authority for evaluation.

Woochung Um, ADB board secretary, said the performance of the Philippines’ attempt to achieve wider inclusion of the poor to the benefits of the improving economy would be dangled by the ADB as an inspiration to other Asian economies that it was helping.

He said the ADB would be closely monitoring and assisting in the administration’s bid for wider financial inclusion as Dominguez said the priority on this aspect would place the Philippines “in a better position to host” the annual meeting of the ADB. DMS