MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang yesterday admitted that some of the infrastructure projects the government has been trying to implement to resolve traffic congestion would be completed beyond the term of President Aquino.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. repeated the government’s appeal for understanding, noting that the administration is aware that the traffic situation needs to be improved as it is tied with the quality of life and would boost investments and spur economic development.
Coloma said the projects expected to be completed in 2016 or 2017 include the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway Phase II and the Light Rail Transit Line 2 East Extension (Santolan, Pasig to Masinag, Antipolo).
He said the infrastructure projects are “aggressively being undertaken” by the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation and Communications and other concerned government agencies in line with the Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure for Metro Manila and Surrounding Areas, otherwise known as the Mega Manila Dream Plan.
The Mega Manila Dream Plan was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board headed by the President and his Cabinet.
“This plan aims at improving overall mobility in Metro Manila and nearby regions, provide efficient public transportation systems and create new urban centers,” Coloma said.
Coloma also said the government had warned the public that the projects would cause traffic congestion while they were being constructed.
Other road and transport projects approved by the NEDA board are now in various stages of implementation.
These projects include the P1.27-billion Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue/Makati Avenue-Paseo de Roxas vehicle underpass; the P4.01-billion Metro Manila Interchange Construction Project Phase IV that involves the construction of three grade-separated interchanges at EDSA-North Avenue-West Avenue-Mindanao Avenue interchange; the Circumferential Road 5 Greenmeadows-Calle Industria-Eastwood interchange; and the EDSA-Roosevelt Avenue-Congressional Avenue interchange.
Other projects are the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Laguna Lakeshore Development, the North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road, North-South Commuter Railway, LRT Line 4 project, LRT Line 6 project and the Bus Rapid Transit System from Quezon Memorial Circle to Manila City Hall.