NEDA ICC OKs changes in major projects

MANILA, Philippines — The National Economic and Development Authority’s Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CabCom) has approved extensions in the implementation period, scope, and changes in costing of several projects of national significance.

At the top of the list of approvals were changes in three ongoing projects: Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Project, Phase I; the National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP); and the Metro Manila Wastewater Management Project (MWMP).

The implementation period of CLLEX Project, Phase I, of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be extended from June 2017 to April 2021, and its loan validity will be extended from July 2019 to July 2022, inclusive of a one-year defects liability period.

NEDA said the extension would allow the DPWH to complete the remaining works that were hobbled by issues over right-of-way acquisition and delivery of aggregate supply. The implementation period extension, however, will not cause an increase in the total project cost.

For the NISRIP of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the project’s loan validity will be extended from the original closing date of July 2019 to July 2021.

Project implementation period for civil works and other activities will also be extended from the originally approved period of February 2012-June 2019 to February 2012-June 2021.

The revised total project cost amounts to P3.13 billion, a 21.78 percent decrease from the previously approved cost of P4.01 billion.

For the scope of the project, the coverage will decrease to 34,216 hectares from the original estimate of 35,670 hectares.

Despite the decrease in coverage, NIA highlighted that there will be a net increase in the total number of farmers that will benefit from NISRIP – from 22,563 to 26,683 farmers – and an increase in annual rice production of up to 319,510 tons per year.

Meanwhile, the ICC-CabCom extended the closing date of the loan for the Metro Manila Wastewater Management Project (MWMP) from June 2019 to June 2020, and approved the replacement of the sub-contract packages under the account of Manila Water Co. Inc. (MWCI).

The original four Pasig Project Contract Packages will be replaced by three Marikina North Project Contract Packages and four University of the Philippines Project Contract Packages.

NEDA said the MWMP’s improvement of sewerage and septage management services is expected to benefit up to 850,000 people within the MWCI service area, and up to 1.87 million people within the Maynilad Water Services Inc. (MWSI) concession area.

The project’s main proponent is the Land Bank of the Philippines with concessionaires MWCI and MWSI.

Likewise approved by the ICC-Cabcom were changes in the Access to Sustainable Energy Program (ASEP) of the Department of Energy (DOE).

The changes include a two-year implementation period extension from Dec. 18, 2019 to Dec. 18, 2021, a two-year validity extension of a grant from the European Union (EU) from Dec. 18, 2021 to Dec. 18, 2023, and a re-allocation of grant proceeds from contingencies to technical assistance.

These were approved through Department of Finance’s signing of an addendum to the financing agreement between the EU and the Philippine government last December 2018.

NEDA said the ASEP supports the country in achieving inclusive growth through access to electricity and energy services by a greater number of Filipinos as specified under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and DOE’s Household Electrification Development Plan.