Remonde: Government to pour 33 projects in Central RP

The national government announced it would be pouring billions of pesos to the Central Philippines "super region" with at least 33 out of 87 major infrastructure projects, as part of its medium-term public investment program from 2006 to 2010.

Secretary Cerge Remonde, chairman of the Infrastructure Monitoring Task Force, reported this in his National Overview of the Infrastructure Program for the Philippines Super Regions, during the Government Infrastructure Forum held in Cebu City yesterday.

The infrastructure projects for Central Philippines are part of the P2.4-trillion the government is investing for the program, which include the P2-billion Cebu Bulk Water Project, among others, Remonde said.

When the program started in 2001, the government released to all the "super regions" a total of P99.79 billion, which was then increased to 60 percent every year thereafter, the outlay of which hitting over P133 billion for last year.

For this year, the government is allocating P170.04-billion for capital outlay or 15.1 percent of the total budget, with over P120 billion for infrastructure spending.

"No other administration in the political history of the country is appropriating so much capital outlay except this (Arroyo) administration," Remonde said.

Remonde said the funding source was not a problem at all. He said the government succeeded in increasing its revenues from P816.2-billion in 2005 to P978.7-billion in 2006 while bringing down fiscal deficit from P146.8-billion in 2005 to P124.9-billion in 2006.

"Now, we have the money to implement the next phase of economic reform, which is what the President termed as 'social payback.' Now, we are bringing back to the Filipino people the benefits of our fiscal reforms," he said.

Remonde said that most of these projects are underway with funds coming from national appropriations, government owned and controlled corporations, local government investments, official development assistance, and private sector investments.

The projects would improve the mobility and transport of goods and people, promote food security, and bring down the cost of doing business in the country, said Remonde.

Remonde however explained that the government alone could not succeed in the program without "the strong support of the private sector."

He called on the private sector's help by "investing in these projects" and providing feedback to us to ensure that these projects are implemented on schedule, above board and without overpricing." - Gregg M. Rubio/RAE