PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte pledged Monday, July 22, to accelerate the implementation of the government's massive infrastructure program in his last three years in office.
"To the Build, Build, Build program in emerging economic hubs outside Metro Manila, this will simply gain ground. Thanks to the effort of the economic team led by [Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III]," Duterte said in his fourth State of the Nation Address.
"[Those who are also] hard at work in the interconnection of our islands and cities by air, land, and sea [are] our Secretaries [Arthur] Tugade (Transportation) and [Mark] Villar (Public Works)," he added.
Duterte's ambitious "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure program targets to roll out a total of 75 flagship projects worth at least P2.18 trillion before his term ends in 2022.
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board has so far approved 37 of 75 key infrastructure projects worth P1.564 trillion.
Out of the 37 approved projects, around 14 are expected to be completed by 2022 while the remaining 23 will extend beyond 2022.
Most of Duterte's infrastructure projects are funded by China and Japan.
Duterte has vowed to maintain a corrupt-free and competitive business environment in the Philippines, as he encouraged other nations to invest in the country's infrastructure projects. (VoxPop Philippines)
