DOTr seeks P19.8 billion budget for road works

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is seeking over P19.8 billion budget to fund various road transport sector projects nationwide next year.

The DOTr during Thursday’s Senate committee on finance hearing on the proposed DOTr budget for 2022 sought the help of senators on the agency’s budget allocation for the road transport sector.

“That is why we are asking for your help in the Senate that the budget be changed and raised because this is important and needed by drivers, operators and passengers, especially this time of pandemic,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

DOTr officials has also earlier sought assistance from the House of Representatives to continue providing aid to drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) next year through its service contracting program.

They bared that the agency is unlikely to continue with its service contracting program for PUV drivers next year, after a proposed P10 billion allocation for the initiative was not approved by the Department of Budget and Management.

For locally funded projects for the road sector, the DOTr has proposed P13.2 billion, while foreign-assisted projects amounted to P6.61 billion.

For local road projects, the DOTr allotted P10 billion for service contracting program, P1.5 billion for active transportation infrastructure and related programs, P800.71 million for PUV modernization program, and P472.97 million for the EDSA Busway project.

Also included is P125.91 million for the Makati-BGC Greenways, P40 million for the feasibility study for the Ilocos Norte Transport Hub, P10.71 million for Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange, and P100 million for feasibility study for the Bataan Bus Rapid Transit.

The agency also proposed counterpart funding for the foreign-assisted projects such as the EDSA Greenways Project (P243.47 million), Davao High Priority Bus System (P3.59 billion), Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project  (2.47 billion) and the Metro Manila BRT Line project – Quezon Avenue (P300 million).