NEDA Board OK’s P548-B projects

EIGHT infrastructure projects worth P547.6 billion bagged final approval from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board on Wednesday, including proposals for new bridges, an elevated monorail, and pedestrian walkways along Metro Manila’s main highway.

In a statement, NEDA said the Board, chaired by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, gave the go-signal for six projects to be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including the P189.53-billion Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Island Bridges and the P175.7-billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB).

The PGN Island Bridges project involves the construction of a 32.47-kilometer (km), four-lane, two sea-crossing bridges that will connect Panay, Guimaras and Negros islands.

The BCIB project aims to reduce traffic congestion in Metro Manila by building a 32.15-km, four-lane bridge over Manila Bay from Mariveles, Bataan to Naic, Cavite.

A P76.41-billion project involving the construction of a new Cebu-Mactan bridge and coastal road was also approved by the NEDA Board, along with the P28.26-billion Davao City Coastal Bypass Road Project, including Bucana bridge.

Likewise, NEDA Board also approved the 35.64-km road and eight bridges that will be built under the P5.89-billion Capas-Botolan road project. This will cut the travel time between Tarlac and Zambales to one-and-a-half hours from four hours. The project is expected to start operating by 2025.

The NEDA Board also gave the green light for the P57.07-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 4 (MRT-4) and the P8.51-billion EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) Greenways project.

The MRT-4 is expected to cut travel time between Metro Manila and Rizal province. The 18.4-kilometer elevated monorail transit system will begin at the V. Mapa Station in Manila and end at the proposed Taytay Station near the Taytay Diversion Road-Manila East Road rotunda in Rizal. It will run through Ortigas Avenue, Ortigas Avenue Extension and Taytay Diversion Road.

The EDSA Greenways project involves the construction of five kilometers of covered and elevated walkways in four areas along the main highway.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will finance both the MRT-4 and the EDSA Greenways projects.

“These projects are the building blocks of our people’s dreams and aspirations. As such, we intend to roll out as many as we can to ease congestion and spread growth throughout the country,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia was quoted as saying.

The P6.25-billion Maritime Safety Enhancement program by the Department of Transportation (DoTr) was also greenlit by the NEDA Board.

At the same time, the NEDA Board also okayed the proposals to change the scope and cost of the Davao City bypass construction project (P46.8 billion), as well as to extend the loan validity and the implementation period and increase the cost of the Samar Pacific Coastal road project (P1.13 billion). — B.M.Laforga

https://www.bworldonline.com/neda-board-oks-p548-b-projects/

Approval of NAIAx expansion expected in first quarter

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is expecting the approval of the NAIA Expressway (NAIAx) expansion project within the first quarter of the year.

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) proposed the project, which is awaiting the nod of the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“The NAIA Expressway expansion, I think it is moving forward. So hopefully soon, I think within the first quarter we can expect NEDA [approval],” Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said in Malabon City Friday on the sidelines of the inspection of NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 C3-R10 Section, when asked for an update regarding the project.

The DPWH chief said his office wanted the project to be extended up to Lawton Ave., including Imelda Ave.

SMC announced in 2017 that it had submitted to the government a three-year plan to expand toll roads in southern Metro Manila, as a way to address traffic congestion.

The expansion plan includes NAIAx along with South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), Skyway system, and Southern Tagalog Arterial Road.

SMC was also planning to extend the new NAIAx to Bonifacio Global City (BGC), which aims to reduce traffic on the Sales Bridge and cut travel time from the airport to BGC to 10 minutes. The project will include additional NAIAx ramps from the NAIA Terminals 1 and 2 to SM Sucat, where it can connect with the C-5 extension.

The NAIAx is a private-public partnership with SMC. — Arjay L. Balinbin

https://www.bworldonline.com/approval-of-naiax-expansion-expected-in-first-quarter/

DPWH upbeat on San Miguel’s proposal to extend NAIA Expressway

The Department of Public Works and Highways expects the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee to approve the proposal of San Miguel Corp. to extend the NAIA Expressway to Taguig and Parañaque by the first quarter of 2020.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the agency was awaiting the approval from NEDA-ICC on the proposal of San Miguel to extend the portion of the Naiax along Imelda Avenue in Parañaque and to Lawton Avenue in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

“Hopefully, will approve it by first quarter,” Villar said.

The project is seen to ease traffic on the Sales Bridge and lessen travel time from the Coastal Road, Airport Terminal 1,2 & 3, and SM Mall of Asia areas to BGC to just 10 minutes.

The project is also expected to decongest Magallanes and the Edsa-Pasay area.

Also included is the additional NAIAX ramps extension from the NAIA Terminal 1 and 2 areas all the way to SM Sucat, where it can link up with the C5 extension.

This will benefit motorists heading to Sucat, Las Piñas, and C5 who usually spend anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour just getting out of gridlock along airport roads.

NAIA Expressway, which started operations in December 2016 is a 5.4-km, four-lane, elevated expressway, which connects the Skyway system to all three NAIA airport terminals and the Entertainment City of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

It provides access to NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3, as well as an interface with the Skyway and Cavitex. The NAIA Expressway alignment follows the road along Sales Avenue, Andrews Avenue, Electrical Road (Parañaque River) and NAIA Road.

Besides NAIA Expressway, San Miguel operates the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road, South Luzon Expressway and the Skyway System .

San Miguel is constructing the Skyway Stage 3, an 18.68-km, six-lane elevated expressway that will extend the Skyway from Buendia in Makati City to Balintawak, Quezon City and link the South Luzon Expressway to NLEX. The project aims to decongest major thoroughfares, including EDSA while creating new transport routes.

https://www.manilastandard.net/mobile/article/316062

SMC proposal to extend Naia Expressway likely to get Neda okay, DPWH chief says

DIVERSIFIED conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has proposed to further extend the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Expressway, an offer that is expected to be approved by the government’s planning body within the first half of the year, a Cabinet official said.

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said the SMC group wants to extend the airport expressway all the way to Sucat in Parañaque and the port area in Manila to cut travel time and promote better mobility in Metro Manila.

“We want to extend it to Lawton to reach the port, and extend it to Imelda Avenue to reach Sucat,” he said in a recent interview.

Operated by Vertex Tollways Development Inc., Naia Expressway is a four-lane thoroughfare that runs between Sales Avenue and Macapagal Boulevard, almost directly integrated into the Skyway System. It serves as an access point to Naia Terminals 1, 2, and 3, as well as the Entertainment City in Pasay.

Villar said the extension is “not that long, but it’s just a few kilometers.”

“The cost is still being finalized, and we are still vetting it in the Neda to be approved, hopefully, this quarter,” Villar said, referring to the National Economic and Development Authority.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/01/30/smc-proposal-to-extend-naia-expressway-likely-to-get-neda-okay-dpwh-chief-says/