President Marcos-chaired National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved a total of nearly ₱71 billion worth of projects during its 25th meeting on Wednesday, March 19.
The biggest approved project was the ₱56.7-billion Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP), which aims to enhance disaster preparedness and strengthen resilience in the country’s most vulnerable areas.
NEDA said in a statement that the project, led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will benefit over four million households across 500 municipalities by enhancing community planning capacities and providing access to resilient investments for critical local projects.
Backed by the World Bank, the Panahon ng Pagkilos: PCRP succeeds the DSWD’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) National Community-Driven Development Program.
“The project targets areas with high poverty incidence, severe climatic hazards, stunting rates, and significant indigenous populations,” NEDA said.
The project focuses on community-led initiatives, enabling local areas to design and carry out solutions that address their specific needs “while enhancing the communities’ ability to withstand and recover from economic shocks, especially natural disasters.”
Alongside the PCRP, the NEDA Board also greenlit the constructions of the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) ₱13.9-billion Tumauini River Multipurpose Project in Isabela.
The project aims to irrigate around 8,200 hectares (ha) across 26 barangays in Tumauini, three in Cabagan, and three in the City of Ilagan.
Set for implementation from September 2025 to September 2030, it seeks to boost the productivity and income of 5,860 farmers, supporting the government’s goal of increasing rice production and ensuring food security.
Also approved were changes in the scope, cost, and timeline of the Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project Phase II. It involves building a 105.5-meter-high dam and reservoir in the Zambales mountains to irrigate nearly 22,000 ha of new farmland and stabilize irrigation for over 12,000 ha covered in its first phase.
“This is expected to improve farm household income, contribute to the country’s food security, and promote the use of renewable energy resources for a cleaner environment in the area,” NEDA said.
Modifications in the scope and the reallocation of loan funds for the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project were also approved.
Additionally, the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center updated the NEDA Board on the progress of its projects.
Currently, 224 projects are under implementation, including the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Bulacan International Airport, Laguindingan and Bohol International Airports, and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7.
Meanwhile, 175 projects are in the pipeline, such as the Iloilo International Airport, Boracay Bridge Project, and the PPP for School Infrastructure Project (Phase 3).