Palace okays ‘clean up’ of 104 ODA projects

President Arroyo has approved a "cleaned-up list" of 104 foreign-funded projects to generate P12.7 billion in savings for the government over the next five years.

The President approved the "clean-up" at the recommendation of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee and the Investments Coordinating Council during a meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday.

Of the 104 foreign-funded projects, 69 will proceed as scheduled; 29 will be restructured, including 15 deferred or extended projects; 10 will be reduced in scope; four will be funded from other sources; and six with excess funding will be canceled.

The following projects were canceled due to excess funding:

• The P250-million Fisheries Resource under the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

• The P141.5-million Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resources Management funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

• The P409.6-million Forestry Sector Project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources funded by the Japan Bank of International Corporation (JBIC).

• The P732-million Third Elementary Education Project funded by the World Bank and JBIC.

• The P3.2-million LOGOFIND project at the Department of Finance funded by the World Bank.

• The P317.8-million Rural Water Supply Sanitation Sector project funded by the ADB for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The following "slow-moving" projects for the Department of Transportation and Communications were recommended for extension:

• Follow and Search and Rescue Vessels.

• The P5.01-billion Third Airport Development Project.

The following projects were scaled down:

• The RP-Spain acquisition of patrol vessels under the DA-BFAR.

• The Sixth Road Project of the DPWH.

Budget and Management Secretary Emilia Boncodin said the updated list of projects was the product of several weeks of study and review conducted jointly with the DOF, NEDA and presidential adviser Marita Jimenez. — Marichu Villanueva