NEDA BOARD APPROVES THREE ROAD/BRIDGE PROJECTS IN AURORA AND SAMAR

The NEDA Board  approved Thursday three road/bridge projects amounting to PhP4.3 billion — the Project for the Bridge Construction for Expanded Agrarian Reform Communities Development (Phase II-Umiray Bridge), the Baler-Casiguran Road Improvement Project, and the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project (SPCRP). These projects aim to improve distribution of goods and mobility of people in the provinces of Aurora and Samar.

The PhP798.56 million Umiray Bridge Project, proposed by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), involves the construction of a 358-lineal meter bridge that will cross Umiray River along the boundaries of Barangay Umiray in Dingalan, Aurora province and Barangay Umiray in General Nakar, Quezon province. About PhP711.21 million will be funded through the Government of Japan Grant Aid Program and the remaining PhP87.35 million will be sourced from DAR’s regular budget.

“This project aims to improve the distribution of agricultural products as well as increase the incomes of people in four ARCs, 11 barangays of Dingalan, Aurora and 19 barangays of General Nakar, Quezon,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr., who is also NEDA Board Vice Chairperson.

The second road project is the PhP1.66-billion Baler-Casiguran Road Improvement Project, which involves the completion of the remaining 50.95-kilometer unpaved sections of the 116-kilometer road. The unpaved sections run through the municipalities of Baler, Dipaculao, Dinadiawan, Dinalungan and Casiguran in the province of Aurora. The project is proposed to befinanced through ODA loan from the Korea Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF)amounting to PhP1.44 billion with counterpart funding from Philippine Government of about PhP219.69 million.

“The project ensures the interregional connectivity between Region 2 and 3. This will improve travel time and transportation of goods from five hours to one and a half hours,” Paderanga said.

The third road project, the SPCRP, involves improvement of 27.75-kilometer unpaved arterial road sections of Samar Pacific coastal road and construction of three bridges: Simora, Jangtud and Pinaculan. The PhP1.81 billion project will be financed through a PhP1.6 billion ODA loan from Korea EDCF with counterpart funding from the Philippine government amounting to PhP207 million.

Paderanga said this aims to enhance the development of potential agricultural lands and fishing grounds as well as facilitate distribution of goods and services in the area.

The NEDA Board is the governing body that sets major development policy directions for the Philippines while the NEDA Secretariat serves as its research and technical support arm. President Benigno S. Aquino III is chair of the Board while Paderanga serves as Vice Chair. The NEDA Board members are: the Secretaries of Agriculture, Budget and Management, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, Public Works and Highways, Science and Technology, Tourism, Trade and Industry, Transportation and Communications, and Presidential Management Staff; the Deputy Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; the Chairpersons of  Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, Metro Manila Development Authority, and Mindanao Development Authority; the Governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM); and the President of Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP).

MR No. 2012-024
(Embargo in place until 9:00am Monday, March 26, 2012)