Marcos vows to continue building roads, bridges, ports

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday vowed to continuously develop the nation's essential main infrastructure, like roads, bridges, ports, and airports, to "bring Filipinos closer together."

According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Marcos made the vow as he led the inauguration of the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP) in Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay.

“Let us build upon this achievement as we continue the unending work of building structures that will bring a better life and an invigorating future for all our fellow Filipinos,” said the President.

Marcos added that improving physical connectivity would always be a vital facet of the nation’s development efforts, as outlined in the administration’s Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and the 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda.

Furthermore, the government was more determined than ever to pursue projects that would build a stronger and more interconnected Philippines, and the IGCMRSP would have tremendous benefits as it included additional road and bridge developments across the Zamboanga Peninsula and Tawi-Tawi.

"This not only significantly expands the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) road network through improved physical connectivity in the region, but will also amplify the effects of economic and peace and order initiatives in Mindanao," the PCO said.

Marcos meanwhile thanked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its support, as he hoped for continued collaboration in future projects that would fuel the nation’s progress in the coming years.

The IGCMRSP was funded through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the ADB.

The IGCMRSP involves the construction or improvement of 151.60 kilometers of roads and 34 bridges with a total length of 3,374.87 linear meters (lm) in Zamboanga Peninsula and Tawi-Tawi.

The total length would be 154.96 kms, divided into three core projects, five non-core projects, and three bridge projects.

"Once completed, the IGCMRSP will increase the capacity of the BIMP-EAGA road network with improved road network supporting economic growth, and improving peace and order situation in Mindanao," PCO added. — DVM, GMA Integrated News