NEDA Oks SLEX-NLEX, Cavite-Laguna projects

MANILA, Philippines - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board chaired by President Aquino finally approved yesterday two public-private partnership (PPP) projects – the South Luzon Expressway-North Luzon Expressway (SLEX-NLEX) Connector worth P25.5 billion and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway worth P35.6 billion. It also approved three other major projects.

The two PPP projects were conditionally approved in November 2012. The five approved projects total P146.9 billion.  

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang told reporters in a briefing after the NEDA board meeting in Malacañang that the Cavite-Laguna Expressway was subjected to validation of numbers and they were able to squeeze out additional savings.

Carandang said the project, which would be finished by 2017, now amounted to P35.6 billion from P43.3 billion.

The common connection of the SLEX-NLEX Connector project will be completed by the private sector by 2016 while the part from Buendia in Makati City to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila will be funded by the government, Carandang said.

The other projects include the construction of a dam in Isabela worth P1.03 billion to adapt to climate change.  The dam will prevent flooding, reroute water for irrigation, expand areas for fisheries and generate higher yield of rice. 

Carandang said P935 million for the projects would come from official development assistance.

The second phase of the Cordillera highland resources project worth P2.9 billion was also approved, along with P81.9 billion for the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Service (KALAHI-CIDSS) until 2018 and with 5.9 million families as beneficiaries.

KALAHI-CIDSS is a community-driven development project implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Under KALAHI-CIDSS, communities and their local government units are trained to choose, design and implement sub-projects that address their most pressing need.