Over half of BIMP-EAGA infra projects located in PH

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The Philippines will undertake 52.7% of the US$23 billion worth of priority infrastructure projects detailed in the eight-year master plan on strengthening connectivity within the sub-region of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

In a presentation during the recent 9th Philippine Ports and Shipping Conference, Romeo Montenegro, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) deputy executive director, listed more than 50 priority infrastructure projects for hastening movement of products, commodities, and people in the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

This list will be included in the BIMP-EAGA Vision (BEV) 2025, which outlines the thrusts, goals, and programs of the sub-region and succeeds the Implementation Blueprint 2012-2016.

Majority of the priority infrastructure projects are to be executed in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, with the Philippine programs having a total cost of $12.190 billion. Not included in the figure are the expected budgets of some projects, mostly for special economic zones, that have yet to be computed.

Of the total 13 road and rail projects worth $16.728 billion, seven projects costing $8.969 billion are intended for the Philippines. These are the improvement of growth corridors in Mindanao (Western Mindanao Corridor and South Central Mindanao Corridor); road improvement and institutional development projects (Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Dipolog and North Cotabato); Davao-General Santos road improvement; Mindanao Railway System; Panguil Bay Bridge; Sulu Circumferential Road; and Tawi-Tawi Road Network Development. The other projects in this category are for implementation in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Six of the seven identified priority airport projects are also for the Philippines, with the country’s undertakings worth $1.562 billion. These are the Puerto Princesa Airport Passenger Terminal; General Santos Airport (Aerotropolis); Davao International Airport Improvement; Laguindingan Airport Development; New Zamboanga International Airport; and Sanga-Sanga Airport. The other airport project is paving and rehabilitating the Brunei International Airport’s runway.

Of the 14 seaport projects, the Philippines accounts for nine, with a total cost of $745.55 million. These are the ports of Zamboanga, Sitangkai, General Santos (Makar Wharf), Brooke’s Point, and Polloc; Davao Sasa Port Modernization; Puerto Princesa Integrated Fishport; Malassa Port Development; and Basilan seaport. Other seaport projects are to be undertaken in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The infrastructure development list also covers projects for special economic zones in support of trade facilitation. In the Philippines, these are the Zamboanga Special Economic Zone, ARMM Regional Economic Zone, Tawi-Tawi Freeport Zone, San Vicente Tourism Enterprise Zone, and Puerto Princesa City Environmental Estate.

Of the seven power and energy infrastructure projects for the sub-region, two are to be constructed in the Philippines. The Visayas-Mindanao Interconnection Project has a project cost of $900 million, while the cost of the Mindanao Transmission Backbone Upgrading is yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, Indonesia will be carrying out all the projects for inland transport services, while four countries will implement environment and urban development. Another proposed endeavor is the BIMP-EAGA Submarine Terrestrial Cable Project.

Montenegro said projects will be implemented through government funding, through private funding, or under the public-private partnership scheme.

In an earlier statement, he said, “Our goals right now as far as the BEV 2025 is concerned are to facilitate integration, strengthen linkage, and encourage coherence of the various elements within the plan as we move towards identifying specific activities that help narrow development gaps within EAGA.”

In November last year, the Philippines assumed the chairmanship of BIMP-EAGA, taking leadership of all EAGA-related activities, meetings, and other functions. – Roumina Pablo

Image courtesy of khunaspix at FreeDigitalPhotos.net