Philippines, Japan bolster ties for infra projects —DPWH

The Japanese government has committed to continue its support to the Philippine government's infrastructure initiatives under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Thursday.

In a statement, the DPWH said Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa paid a courtesy visit to Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan on August 17, during which the two leaders talked on coordinating bilaterally and to push forward the fruition of more infrastructure projects.

“Hearing about all the exciting new plans, I truly value the kind visit and am grateful for the time spent despite the busy schedule of the Japanese Ambassador,” said Bonoan.

The DPWH said Japan has been, and continues to be, the largest source of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the Philippines, with grants, loans and technical assistance provided since 1966.

It said that the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) currently supports 13 DPWH big-ticket infrastructure projects, such as the following:

•     Widening of 23-kilometer Arterial Road (Plaridel) Bypass Project Phase 3 in the Province of Bulacan
•     Improvement and maintenance of about 1,184-kilometer of arterial national roads under Road Upgrading and Preservation Project (RUPP) funded by JICA
•     The 30-kilometer Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Project from the connection of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) in Balingcanaway, Tarlac City and ends at the Daang Maharlika Highway in Cabanatuan City
•     Construction of a four lane – 45.5-kilometer Davao City Bypass Construction Project

The DPWH said the Islamic City of Marawi has benefited from a ¥2-billion grant for the design and build of 18.97-kilometer Marawi Transcentral Road Phase 1 under the Programme for the Support to Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Marawi City.

In support of the government's peace-building initiatives, JICA is also financing the Road Network Development Project in Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao (RNDP-CAAM) involving the development, construction, and improvement of about 174.50-kilometer access roads connecting Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and other regions in Mindanao including another 18.78-kilometer Marawi Transcentral Road Phase 3, according to the DPWH.

The agency said Japan has also committed to support the construction of Cebu-Mactan Bridge and Coastal Road Construction Project, which is now under detailed engineering design stage.

To protect flood-prone areas and strengthen the resilience to climate change, four sub-projects were completed under the Flood Risk Management Project for Cagayan River, Tagoloan River, and Imus River financed by JICA, it said.

On-going Japan-funded flood control projects are the channel improvement works for Middle Marikina River including the construction of Manggahan Control Gate Structure and construction of Cainta Floodgate and Taytay Sluicegate at the joining sections of Cainta and Taytay rivers to Mangahan Floodway under the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project Phase IV; Flood Risk Management Project for Cagayan De Oro River; and Cavite Industrial Area Flood Management Project, according to the DPWH.

The agency said that the Japanese government also extended financing support for the construction of interchanges on major intersection in Quezon City under the Metro Manila Interchange Construction Project, Phase VI (MMICP-VI) and the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project to strengthen the resiliency of transport network in Metro Manila by improving the durability and safety of Guadalupe and Lambingan Bridges against large scale earthquake.

Meanwhile, projects with feasibility studies completed and on-going under JICA grant include the following:

•     Parañaque Spillway/Tunnel Project
•     Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Project (East Dalton Bypass Project)
•     Central Mindanao Highway Project (Cagayan De Oro-Malaybalay Section)
•     Davao City Flood Control and Drainage Project

“The proposal to conduct feasibility studies for Liloan Bridge and Butuan Bridge to comprise the Phase II of Urgent Bridges Construction Program for Rural Development (UBCPRD II) has also been submitted for JICA’s consideration,” the DPWH said.—AOL, GMA News