The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started discussing projects with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the country to have a sustainable infrastructure development program that would eventually help in the economic recovery from struggles in the COVID-19 pandemic.
DPWH Acting Secretary Roger G. Mercado already met recently with ADB Country Director for the Philippines Kelly Bird, who has confirmed the bank’s commitment to provide continuing support to infrastructure development programs.
This program will help the government not only in the ‘Build! Build! Build!’ (BBB) project of President Duterte, but will likewise boost jobs for Filipinos affected by the health crisis.
Aside from Mernado, also present during the meeting are DPWH undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, also the Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) operations head, and UPMO Project Directors Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim, Benjamin A. Bautista, and Ramon A. Arriola III.
Sadain discussed the on-going projects and different proposals with high-impact potential for possible Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the Philippines were discussed with the ADB executive.
Sadain, recently appointed as Chief Implementer of Duterte’s Flagship Projects under ‘BBB’, said that the ADB has been a partner for the BBB initiative including the climate change and disaster risk reduction efforts.
The on-going projects funded by the bank include the civil works for the P25.26 billion Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project, which covers the construction of seven road sub-projects with a total length of 230.22 kilometers, including the 540-meter Guicam Bridge in Zamboanga Peninsula and three other bridges with a total length of 1.790km in the Island Province of Tawi-Tawi.
Under detailed engineering design (D.E.D.) and procurement stages is the P6.835 billion Emergency Assistance for Reconstruction and Recovery of Marawi geared towards inclusive economic growth for Marawi City and its peripheral areas.
The project components are the rehabilitation of existing 5.53km Transcentral Roads and 4.71km Mindanao State University Roads; construction of 6.86km new Transcentral Roads with drainage; construction of 2.4km Malabang Viaduct and 300-meter Rorogagus Bridge.
It also includes the replacement of three bridges with a total length of 657 meters; three main drainage channels with a total length of 3.49km; and rehabilitation and slope protection on Marawi Bito Road.
Also under the D.E.D. stage is the P12.028 billion construction of three priority bridges crossing Marikina River in Metro Manila.
These are the Marcos Highway-St. Mary Bridge (formerly J.P Rizal-St. Mary Bridge), a new 2-lane pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge with a total length of 1,582.6 meters including the main bridge length of 325 meters.
Also part of that is the Homeowners Drive-A. Bonifacio Ave. Bridge (formerly J.P, Rizal-Lopez Jaena Bridge), a new 2-lane pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge with a total length of 691 meters including the main bridge length of 461,5 meters; and Kabayani-Matandang Balara Bridge (formerly Marikina-Vista Real Bridge), a new 4-lane pre-stressed concrete extradosed bridge with a total length of 723.2 meters including the main bridge length of 364 meters.
Aside from that, the ADB has also provided technical assistance for the Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility (IPIF) to deliver more effective and more innovative infrastructure projects.
With a completed Feasibility Study under IPIF, D.E.D. is on-going for the proposed P175.656 billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, which connects Mariveles, Bataan to Naic, Cavite with a total length of 32.15 kms.
Other pipeline projects with completed Feasibility Studies financed by ADB are the proposed P175.696 billion Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, a 51kms road network along Laguna Lakeshore connecting Lower Bicutan, Taguig City and Calamba City, Laguna.
It also has the P54 Billion flood risk management for the six major river basins of Apayao-Abulug, Abra, Jalaur, Tagum-Libuganon, Buayan-Malungon, and Agus.