World Bank proposes 10 development projects for RP worth $1.336 billion

The World Bank has 10 proposed development projects for the Philippines with a combined project cost of $1.336 billion.

The global financial institution said it would be the primary source of the funds, with some contributions from “some non-bank sources.”

Biggest among the projects in the pipeline is the $682-million Light Railway Train (LRT) Line 1 South Extension project. The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) will be the implementing government agency for the project.

The $180-million Cavite-Laguna North-South Highway project is the second largest project in the list with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as implementing agency.

The Local Government Support for Performance Grants on the other hand, is designed to impact on public administration, law and justice. It has an estimated project cost of $120 million, with the Department of Finance as principal implementing agency.

The Preparatory Irrigation Development project is the fourth most expensive project with a total cost of $113 million. It is designed to benefit the agriculture, fishing and forestry sectors, which includes irrigation and drainage.

The implementing government agency is the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

Meanwhile, $98 million is the estimated project cost for the National Program Support for Agrarian Reform (NP-SAR) program, again expected to directly affect the agriculture, fishing and forestry sectors. The National Government is the principal proponent and borrower.

The Local Government Support for Regional Water Supply project has been initially assessed a project cost of roughly $55 million. It is designed to impact on the water, sanitation and flood protection sector, with the Local Water Utility Administration as principal implementing agency and borrower.

Approximately $40 million will be required to launch the Additional Financing for Rural Power project, putting emphasis on renewable energy and mining.

The principal borrower will be the National Government but the implementing agency will be the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

The Ethanol Plant Wastewater Biogas project is estimated to cost roughly $20 million, with Roxol Bioenergy Corp., a private company, as principal implementing entity.

Approximately $15 million, meanwhile, will be required to undertake the Philippine Climate Change Adaptation project, with the National Government as principal borrower and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as implementing agency.

The environment-related project is the widest in scope in terms of sectors affected, which include agriculture, fishing, forestry, public administration, law, justice, as well as water, sanitation and flood protection.

The Additional Financing for the Second Agrarian Reform Communities Development Project will have an estimated project cost of $13.58 million. The Department of Agrarian Reform has been eyed as the implementing agency.