President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., as the head of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, has given the go-ahead for three new flagship infrastructure projects that are slated to be finished after his term.

NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the new lineup of Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs) now incorporates the Metro Cebu Expressway, Nautical Highway Network Improvement, and Daang Maharlika Improvement projects.

At a televised Palace briefing on Wednesday, Aug. 23, Balisacan said the approval of three projects increased the government's roster of IFPs to a total of 71 valued P4.11 trillion.

“The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are implementing these connectivity and transportation infrastructure projects, which aim to improve connectivity across the country,” BalisacN said.

According to NEDA's estimation, the three IFPs have a combined indicative project cost of P403.22 billion and will be completed in 2028 or beyond.

Of that amount, the Daan Maharlika (N1) project is estimated to cost P251.19 billion, while the Nautical Highway Network Improvement project is valued at approximately P57.96 billion. These two projects are financed through the national budget.

On the other hand, the Metro Cebu Expressway costs P94.07 billion and can be funded through the national budget or Public-Private Partnership.

To date, the Marcos administration has 123 remaining IFPs. Out of these, 27 have already been approved for implementation, eight are awaiting government approval, 52 are in the project preparation phase, and 36 are in the pre-project preparation phase.

In addition, the NEDA Board has approved new guidelines for developing, prioritizing, and supervising the government's IFPs.

Under these guidelines, projects that have received approval from the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) and endorsement from the NEDA Board, but are not currently part of the IFP list, can now be considered for inclusion if they meet the criteria specified in the IFP Guidelines.

However, the endorsement of the respective implementing agencies is still necessary for their inclusion.

Following the new guidelines, the NEDA Board has approved incorporating three additional projects into the list of IFPs.

These projects include the TPLEX Extension Project, the Philippine Rural Development Project Scale Up, and the Upgrade Expansion, Operation, and Maintenance of the Laguindingan International Airport Project in Misamis Oriental.

Furthermore, the NEDA Board has granted approval for the requested changes in cost, scope, and implementation timeline of the Flood Risk Management Project for Cagayan de Oro River.

This project aims to mitigate flooding in high-risk areas, enhance the development of the Cagayan de Oro River, and enhance the resilience of communities along the river to climate change and related hazards.

Lastly, the NEDA Board has also given the green light for the provision of six fire trucks to Marawi City through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant from China valued at P72.5 million.

Balisacan said this project is intended to support the objectives of the Bangon Marawi Rehabilitation and Recovery program, which serves as the national government's strategic plan for the areas affected by the Marawi siege.

“By ensuring the efficient implementation of high-impact infrastructure projects, the Marcos Administration aims to get the job done: we will enhance connectivity, reduce the cost of doing business, promote the creation of high-quality jobs, and ultimately reduce poverty sustainably to improve the lives of every Filipino,” Balisacan said.