Neda Board approves P184-billion projects

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Category: Top News

21 Nov 2013 

 

Written by Butch Fernandez

The Aquino Cabinet, sitting as the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board, approved on Thursday seven major infrastructure projects with total cost of P184.2 billion.

In a marathon meeting chaired by President Aquino, the Neda Board gave the green light for the concerned government agencies to proceed with the spadework for the following projects:

■  Light Rail Transit Line 1 South Extension Project (P64.9 billion);

■ Metro Rail Transit 7 Project (P62.7 billion);

■ LRT Line 1 North Extension Project-Common Station (P1.4 billion);

■ Mactan-Cebu International Airport New Passenger Terminal Project (P17.5 billion);

■ Development of Transportation System at Food Terminal Inc.  and Philippine Reclamation Authority under the Public-Private Partnership Program (P7.7 billion);

■ Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center (P 5.6 billion); and

■ Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project (P24.4 billion).

The LRT Line 1 project involves the extension of the existing LRT Line 1 South, which currently covers 21 stations from Roosevelt Avenue to Monumento (North Link) to Baclaran with a total length of service line stretching 20.7 kilometers. The extension project will extend this service line by 11.7 kilometers covering 10 more stations and will pass through Parañaque and Las Piñas up to Bacoor, Cavite.

The MRT 7 project involves the construction of a 22.8-kilometer rail system from North Avenue station on Edsa in Quezon City, passing through Commonwealth Avenue, Regalado Avenue and Quirino Highway up to the proposed Intermodal Transportation Terminal in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, which will cover 14 stations.

The LRT North project involves the provision of a common station among LRT 1, MRT 3 and MRT 7, as well as road-based transportation systems. Head-to-head platforms for LRT 1 and MRT 3 with a 147.4-meter elevated walkalator to MRT 7 at North Avenue will be constructed.

The Mactan-Cebu airport project involves the construction of new passenger terminal, renovation of existing terminal, operation and maintenance of both the new and the existing passenger terminals during the entire concession period and relocation of Air Force facilities.

The fifth project approved by the Neda Board involves the development of two mass-transportation terminals at the southern outskirts of Metro Manila to be located at the following:

·         South–Slex Terminal at the FTI Property in FTI Compound, Taguig City, to serve passengers traveling to and from Laguna and Batangas

·         South–Coastal Road Terminal at PRA Property beside Asiaworld/Uniwide along Manila-Cavite Expressway (R-1) Expressway in Parañaque City to serve passengers traveling to and from Cavite.

The Neda Board also approved the modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center. The government aims to develop a “super specialty tertiary orthopedic hospital” with a 700-bed capacity. It also played the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System’s Bulacan bulk water supply project, which will provide potable water supply to Bulacan.

“The rail projects will connect the train systems and make it convenient for passengers to transfer from one train to another. This will also help reduce passengers’ travel time,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.

“The Mactan-Cebu International Airport project will enhance the operational efficiency of the airport and will also provide convenience for airport passengers. The transport-terminal project will make various modes of transportation accessible to people coming from nearby provinces to commute to and from Metro Manila. It will also ease traffic along Edsa.”