Transport dep’t woos US investors

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) wooed American business leaders to invest in the country’s big-ticket transport infrastructure projects.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency’s multisectoral projects will “disturb” the current status quo in the transport sector and improve the country’s connectivity and mobility.

“Our transport projects highlight the efforts of our government in pushing the infrastructure agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who wants us to improve mobility and connectivity,” he said.

Bautista was part of the President’s delegation for the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meeting in San Francisco, California.

He said that 11 transport projects were recently approved with an estimated total project cost of $6.6 billion.

Bautista said that out of the 11 projects, eight are foreign-assisted, while the rest are funded through public-private partnerships.

Plans are also being finalized for at least 29 foreign-assisted contract packages as part of big-ticket infrastructure projects.

Bautista cited the anticipated significant improvement in the country’s aviation sector with the privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, construction of the New Manila International Airport and modernization of 11 other regional airports are also underway.

To improve the Philippines’ connectivity, several railway projects are now on overdrive with the construction of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway, Metro Manila Subway and Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT 7), Bautista said.

He also reported on the following upcoming projects — MRT 4, MRT 10, MRT 11, Light Rail Transit Line 6 and two phases of the Mindanao Railway Project.

Furthermore, the DoTr is improving the country’s land transport through the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program and the Cebu and Davao Bus Rapid Transits, while putting emphasis on active transport with the establishment of bike lanes and the environment-friendly EDSA Greenways Project.

In the maritime sector, the Philippine Coast Guard is expecting five new multirole response vessels to help them patrol the country’s shorelines and assert sovereignty over the country’s exclusive economic zone.

WITH ALEXA FURIO