Fifteen infrastructure projects worth around P200 billion
within the Luzon Urban Beltway will be finished before President Arroyo’s term
ends in 2010.
Edgardo Pamintuan, head of the LUB super region, said the
projects would include two seaports, two airports, six expressway projects, four
rail systems and one water project.
"The LUB projects are all designed to enhance the investment
and competitive climate of the region. Industries will come and jobs will be
created. Ultimately, the benefits will redound to our ordinary people,"
Pamintuan said.
He said around 40 percent of the needed funds would come from
the budget of the national government while 60 percent would be from the Bureau
of Treasury and the private sector.
The two seaports projects are the Subic Bay Port Development
and RORO Port linking Lucena, Quezon and Marinduque.
The airports projects include the Diosdado Macapagal
International Airport Project and Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
The projects on railways are the Edsa North Transit and the
Northrail Project Phase 1 while the there is also a project aimed at supplying
300 million liters of water daily in the southern part of Metro Manila.
The projects involving roads include the Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Expressway; Subic-Clark-Tarlac-Dingalan Road; Marikina-Infanta Road; NLEX-SLEX
Connection via C5; SLEX Toll Road; and Manila-Cavite Expressway R-1 Extension.
Pamintuan said there would be no problems with the release of funds under the
BOT, noting that these would not need the approval of Congress. He said the
release would be done by the executive department through the National Economic
Development Authority.
