Key officials from
the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) and the Department of Transportation
(DOTr) met on Tuesday,
February 13, 2024 for a
collaboration meeting
in an effort to expedite
the implementation of
their respective infrastructure projects under
the “Build, Better, More”
agenda of the administration.
Representing DPWH
Manuel M. Bonoan
during the meeting were
DPWH Undersecretary
for Planning and Public
Private Partnership Services Maria Catalina E.
Cabral, Undersecretary
for Convergence Program Eric A. Ayapana,
and Undersecretary for

North Luzon and Mindanao Operations Eugenio R. Pipo Jr., while the
DOTr team was led by
DOTr Undersecretary
for Planning and Project Development Atty.
Timothy John R. Batan,
Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Francisco
U. Sarmiento, Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure
Anneli R. Lontoc, and
Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy S. Regino.
Other participants
of the meeting were
DPWH Assistant Secretaries Rey Peter B. Gille,
Medmier G. Malig, Joy
M. Manginsay, including
the DPWH Regional Directors, Bureau and Service Directors, as well as
DOTr Project Managers,
and other representatives from its attached
agencies.
Discussions during
the meeting include a
DOTr proposal to device
a DPWH-DOTr Clash
Resolution Agreement
for appropriate adjustment on their projects
whenever needed between the two (2) agencies.
The DOTr reported some implementation concerns on the
agency’s convergence
projects including the
ongoing and upcoming
projects with the DPWH
which include the roads
leading to ports and
airports, other port and
airport facilities, active
transport infrastructure
like bike lanes, and the
EDSA Greenways Project among others.
The DPWH on the
other hand vowed close
coordination with concerned DOTr offices to
ensure that the projects
undertaken by the agency are complementary
with the other public infrastructure facilities.
“We hope to hold
more coordination
meeting with the DOTr
and other agencies as
we aim to really beef up
our efforts in improving mobility across the
country, pursuant to the
administration’s vision
of a “Bagong Pilipinas”,
said Undersecretary
Cabral.
To conclude the
meeting, both DPWH
and DOTr key officials
agreed to develop a Joint
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that will establish a clear guideline
on the intensified cooperation.(DPWHPIO)