Region 8 gets PHP19.8-B three-year massive infra projects

TACLOBAN CITY, May 19-- Eastern Visayas region will get PHP19.8 billion fresh funds from 2018 to 2020 to finance 147 projects under the national government’s "Three-Year Rolling Infrastructure Program (TRIP)".

National Economic Development Authority Regional Director Bonifacio said they were largely counting on these mega projects to sustain economic growth in the next few years.

“Eastern Visayas, in particular, has the third largest share across regions, or equivalent to 12.58 percent of the total amount of projects listed in the TRIP,” Uy said on Friday.

Part of the budget will be used for the initial implementation of proposed major projects such as the Leyte-Surigao Link Bridge, Bohol-Leyte Link Bridge, Luzon-Samar Link Bridge, San Ricardo – Surigao Bridge, construction of bypass roads, and Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center modernization.

Also included are development irrigation projects in Samar provinces, improvement of roads linking Eastern Samar and Northern Samar town, upgrading of various airports, and development of seaports in the region.

Projects were categorized as roads, bridges, seaports, and airports; water supply; flood control; irrigation; energy development; social infrastructure; peace and security infrastructure; environmental management; and post-disaster reconstruction.

“We take cognizance of the fact that our administration puts priority on regional development as a means of spreading out economic growth and in reducing spatial inequalities in development pace,” Uy added.

“In particular, we see bright prospects in the massive infrastructure development agenda of this administration, tagged as the Golden Age of Infrastructure, in enhancing intra- and inter-region connectivity.”

The Regional Development Council (RDC) to thoroughly reviewed the list since the Department of Budget and Management will only finance special infrastructure projects listed in TRIP in the next three years.  (Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)