Several infrastructure flagship projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the “Build, Better, More” Program are on showcase at the South Wing Lobby of the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

A two-day photo exhibit entitled “Redefining the Country’s Infrastructure Program: A Look into the Build, Better, More Flagship Programs and Projects” organized by House Committee on Flagship

Programs and Projects under Chairperson Claude P. Bautista and supported by the Public Works and Highways Committee under Chairperson Romeo S. Momo Sr.  was launched Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

The opening of the exhibit was graced by Zamboanga Sibugay 1st District Representative Wilter Y. Palma, Bataan 2nd District Representative Albert S. Garcia, Deputy Speaker Vincent Franco D. Frasco, Bukidnon 2nd District Representative Jonathan Keith T. Flores, and DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain representing Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan.

Senior Undersecretary Sadain, in-charge of DPWH flagship projects being implemented under the continuing Build Better More Program in his short message at the exhibit opening ceremony highlighted the Department’s priority projects, which are expected to further enhance physical connectivity, mitigate flooding, promote investments, and generate local employment all over the country.

Under the President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administration’s Build Better More infrastructure development agenda, DPWH shall directly handle a total of 58 infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs), 40 of which are under the implementation of the Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) operations headed by Senior Undersecretary Sadain.

Among the DPWH IFPs that were included in the Congress’ Photo Exhibit are the following ongoing projects in Luzon: the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project Phase IV which is now 23 percent completed and is targeted for completion by 2028; the Widening of 22.46-kilometer Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase III from Barangay Borol, Balagtas along NLEX to Barangay Maasim, San Rafael, Bulacan which is expected to be completed by March 2024; the 30-kilometer Central Luzon Link Expressway Phase 1 connecting Tarlac City and Cabanatuan City which is 97.4 percent completed;  and the ongoing Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Measures in the Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay which is now 96 percent completed.

Also featured are five (5) ongoing IFPs in Mindanao: the 3.17-kilometer Panguil Bay Bridge Project which connects Tangub City, Misamis Oriental and Tubod, Lanao del Norte is currently 77.41 percent completed and is expected to be opened by 2024; the Flood Risk Management Project for the 10-kilometer long Cagayan de Oro River which is currently 99.47 percent completed; the ongoing 45.5-kilometer Davao City Bypass Construction Project to be completed by 2027; the Road Network Development Project in Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao covering the construction and improvement of 174.58 kilometers of access roads connecting the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and is expected to be completed by 2028; and the 151.96-kilometer Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project in Zamboanga Peninsula and Tawi-Tawi to be completed by 2026.

The exhibit also presented DPWH IFPs that are in various stages of pre-construction phase such as: the 50.8-kilometer Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project Phase 1 along Laguna Lakehore from Lower Bicutan, Taguig City to Calamba, Laguna to be constructed from 2024 to 2027; the 23-kilometer Dalton Pass East Alignment Project connecting Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya to be constructed from 2026 to 2033; the 32.15-kilometer Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge to be constructed from 2024 to 2029; the 32.47-kilometer sea-crossing Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges Project with civil works timeline from 2026 to 2030; the 3.34-kilometer Cebu-Mactan (4th Bridge) and 5.34-kilometer Coastal Road Construction Project in Cebu to be constructed from 2024 to 2028; the 4.85-kilometer 2nd San Juanico Bridge Project connecting Samar and Leyte Provinces to be implemented from 2023 to 2029; the 15.01-kilometer Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project Phase 2 to be implemented from 2024 to 2028; and the 65.5-kilometer Central Mindanao High Standard Highway Construction Project from Cagayan de Oro to Malaybalay to be constructed from 2026 to 2030.

The project exhibit is a very good opportunity for the people to be informed and updated about the infrastructure flagship programs and is essential in getting the support of the members of Congress for these big-ticket projects to accelerate infrastructure development and propel the country towards higher growth, added Senior Undersecretary Sadain.

Opening of the exhibit at the House of Representatives was also attended by DPWH UPMO Project Directors Ramon A. Arriola III, Benjamin A. Bautista, Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim, Rodrigo I. Delos Reyes, and Soledad R. Florencio.

Other participating agencies with flagship projects are the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT).