DPWH to add 45 projects to revised Build, Build, Build project list

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Tuesday it will be adding at least 45 projects to the original 75 flagship infrastructure items, taking into consideration viability, manageability, and expectations.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is approving this week the revised list of infrastructure projects to be completed by the Duterte administration within its term or until 2022.

“May mga projects doon na initially [included] ... pero nung lumabas ‘yung study hindi pala siya feasible so pinalitan namin ng ibang project,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar told reporters in Caloocan City.

“‘Yung  bagong listahan namin may 45 projects. So nadagdagan pa," Villar said, noting that the majority of projects will be finished within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The National Economic and Development Authority earlier said three bridge projects were deemed “unfeasible” due to financial and technical constraints.

Shelved were the following:

• The 18.2-kilometer Luzon (Sorsogon)-Samar bridge
• The 23-kilometer Leyte-Surigao bridge
• The 24.5-kilometer Cebu-Bohol bridge

The Duterte administration is adding smaller projects to the 75 flagship items—making “more or less” 100 the total number of projects on the list.

“I can’t go to the details right now, but initially it’s 100. At this point, it’s 100. More on the less rather than the more, kasi I’m expecting scrutiny of the list by the economic managers,” Undersecretary Jonathan Uy, NEDA’s officer in charge for Investment Programming said Monday.

The details of which projects will be added to the list will be released at a later date.

“Ilalabas na namin ‘yun para ma-manage ‘yung expectation, para malaman ‘yung matatapos sa term,” Villar said.

“‘Yung initial list kasi ginawa nung pasimula pa lang. Hindi pa na-update kasi may mga projects doon na economically hindi pa viable so pinalitan namin ng mas economically viable,” he noted.

Once the list of projects have been revised, NEDA expects the Duterte administration to trim its infrastructure spending to P4.7 trillion until 2022. This means lower by P3.5 trillion than the original P8.2 trillion on program.

The updated list of 100 infrastructure projects is now worth only P4.7 trillion.

NEDA’s Investment Coordination Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the updated list of projects. —VDS, GMA News