MANILA, Philippines — Eight big-ticket projects collectively valued at P370 billion that are still under feasibility study have been shelved to give priority to projects that can address public needs amid the pandemic.
Vivencio Dizon, president and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), said the projects are the Bataan Cavite Link Bridge, Dalton Pass East Alignment, New Zamboanga International Airport, New Dumaguete Airport, Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project, Kabulnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project, Kanan Dam Project, and the Guimaras-Negros portion of the Panay-Negros Bridge.
“These were shelved while the feasibility studies were done, but we will revisit them again in the next quarter to see what progress in the feasibiity studies are,” he said during the joint briefing of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) yesterday.
Replacing projects relegated to the back burner are 13 projects for connectivity, water, transportation, and health.
These are the following: LTO Central Command Center, Motor Vehicle Recognition and Ehancement System, National Broadband Program, ICT Capacity Development and Management Program, Water District Development Sector Projects (ADB-WDDSP), National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP), Balog-Alog Multipurpose Project Phase II Tarlac, Jalaur River Multipurpose Project - Stage II Iloilo, Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project Pangasinan and Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project Pangasinan.
Also in the list are Metro Manila Logistics Network composed of Pasig River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges (J.P. Rizal-Lopez Jaena Bridge, JP. Rizal-St. Mary Bridge, and Marikina-Vista Real Bridge), NLEX Harbor Link Extension to Anda Circle, General Santos Airport, and Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines.
Dizon said there are other projects to be spearheaded by the Department of Health pending approval.
“ We have reprioritized our infrastructure flagship program which the major component of Build Build Build. Of course, we have to consider the economic growth impact of these projects,” said Dizon.
“We will also add new projects that will address the pandemic. Those that prioritize health and the digital economy.”
Dizon said the addition of more shovel-ready projects in the pipeline would help in economic recovery in the coming months.