The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board approved four projects Tuesday after a board meeting in the Palace.

Projects on health, education and land administration were passed after some four hours of deliberation. President Benigno Aquino III, who chairs the board, called the meeting.

Among projects approved unconditionally are the P5.691-billion modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center, to be implemented next year until 2015; and the P3.927-billion Basic Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM), which will be implemented from 2012 to 2018.

The Orthopedic Center modernization is one of the eight projects of the government's Public-Private Partnership program slated for roll-out this year.

BEAM-ARMM is a project of the Department of Education and funded by a grant from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

Two other projects were also approved pending some conditions: the P8.9-billion Development Objective Agreement between the Philippines and US on Family Health, as well as P2.7 billion in additional financing for the World Bank-assisted Second Land Administration and Management Project, were passed, provided the breakdown of the amounts is verified.

NEDA also approved the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature 2012 and the 9th Regular Foreign Investment Negative List. — BM, GMA News