The Marcos administration’s economic team removed 36 infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) but added 23 new projects under the Build Better More program, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

The NEDA board, chaired by President Marcos, has reduced the number of IFPs from 198 projects worth over P8 trillion to 185 projects with a total value of P9.14 trillion.

However, NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan clarified that certain projects removed from the list will still be implemented as they were already part of the regular government programs.

He said that the delisting of projects aims to prioritize crucial projects to ensure they receive the necessary support for efficient and accelerated implementation.

“Our list of IFPs under the Build-Better-More Program serves as a prioritization tool to identify high-impact infrastructure projects that require immediate government support. By rationalizing the list, we ensure the implementation of as many important infrastructure projects of high significance as possible,” said Balisacan, who is also the vice chair of the NEDA board.

“We will continue to monitor, review, and update the list of IFPs as necessary to prioritize the most important infrastructure projects. The NEDA Board is committed to approving measures needed to expedite the implementation of the Build-Better-More Program,” he added.

As of the fourth quarter of last year, 74 IFPs have been implemented, 30 had been approved for implementation, 10 were awaiting government approval, and 83 were undergoing either project or pre-project preparation, according to NEDA Undersecretary Joseph J. Capuno.

Of the 74 projects, 19 are scheduled to be completed this year including the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway Project.

The NEDA board also approved another loan of P14.6 billion for the Davao City Bypass construction, with the total cost now increasing to P70.8 billion.

The project implementation will now be extended until December 31, 2027 following the changes.

This decision came after reassessing the expanded scope of the project and post-pandemic market conditions considering that the board first approved the project in 2015, the NEDA said.

“While this project was first approved by the NEDA Board in 2015, its implementation was hampered by the pandemic. The changes in the project scope and cost will ensure that this key infrastructure project receives the necessary support for its successful completion,” Balisacan stated.

The 45.5-kilometer bypass road is set to reduce travel time between Davao City and Panabo City in Davao del Norte from over 2 hours to 49 minutes upon completion.

The economic team also confirmed the Integrated Water Resources Master Plan (IWMP) spearheaded by the Water Resources Management Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The IWMP will serve as the comprehensive national policy to ensure access to sufficient water supply at any time, particularly during adverse weather conditions such as El Niño.

“We prioritize infrastructure development as a key driver of our economy to improve the lives of every Filipino. While significant policy reforms have already been put in place to address long-standing constraints to sustainable and resilient infrastructure, we recognize the need for further efforts to boost infrastructure investment and execution. Thus, we will closely monitor our infrastructure flagship projects to ensure they are completed and delivered on time,” Balisacan said.