MANILA, Oct. 24 – The Philippines has partnered with a key Chinese Government agency and China’s biggest companies in order to study the implementation of the major flagship infrastructure projects of the Duterte administration.

These partnerships form part of the Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed during the President’s four-day state visit to China and have been estimated to amount to 24 billion US dollars.

These include various public works projects – bridges and a major road network - as well as rehabilitation of airports and seaports across the country.

The infrastructure program also includes massive investments in railroad networks which will improve

mobility and development in the regions especially in Mindanao, and aid in passenger connectivity and more efficient cargo handling to spur economic activities in the country. It will also help decongest Metro Manila and address present teansportation issues.

Bridges Connecting the Major Islands

Part of this infrastructure plan is to construct several bridges connecting the country’s major islands. This initiative will be led by the DPWH and includes mega bridge projects connecting Luzon to the Visayas via the 28 km Sorsogon to Samar bridge and the 23 km Leyte – Surigao bridge connecting Visayas to Mindanao.

The DPWH also proposed the construction of bridges connecting islands in Luzon and the Visayas, such as the Batangas to Mindoro mega bridge as well as a bridge connecting Bohol, Cebu and Negros islands.

Trains, Boats and Planes

The Department of Transportation also signed an MOU to study the feasibility of constructing major rail systems aimed at spurring development in the countryside and improving the connectivity of goods, services and people in far flung areas as well as reducing the congestion in the major cities. Among these are The Mindanao Railway System and the Manila to Clark direct railway as well as the Clark-Subic cargo and passenger railway.

In addition to the rail systems will be projects rehabilitating airports and seaports throughout the country. Among those listed are the rehabilitation of regional airports in Zamboanga, Dumaguete and Tacloban as well as the development of the seaports of Cebu and Davao.

The DPWH and the DOTR signed an MOU with the National Development and Reform Commission, China's super ministry in charge of the planning and development of vital infrastructure programs in the country.

Development of Smart and Safe Cities

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) also signed 4 MOUs to develop their existing projects in Clark and Fort Bonifacio, primarily to address the congestion in Metro Manila. BCDA signed an MOU with China Road and Bridge Corp. to develop a Bus Rapid Transit System connecting Fort Bonifacio to NAIA. It also signed 2 MOUs to develop Clark Freeport Zone and Clark Green City as alternative areas outside of Metro Manila to help ease congestion in the metropolis. BCDA signed an MOU with China Harbor Engineering Corp and China Fortune Land Development for the development of the Subic-Clark railway system and an industrial park in Clark Green City respectively.

BCDA also signed an MOU with Huawei, the largest telecommunications network equipment provider in the world for the development of smart and safe cities in Clark and Fort Bonifacio.

Bold Solutions and Swift Action

The country’s business leaders have long called for bold solutions and the swift improvement of the country’s infrastructure and transport network as well as better telecommunications and Internet service to sustain economic growth and it is hoped that the President’s state visit to China will be the catalyst to making all these plans a reality soon.

All MOUs signed during the trip are non exclusive and will still go through the rigorous competitive procurement process in the Philippines. (MARO)

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read more: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1141477235728/ph-to-implement-massive-infrastructure-plan

 

President Rodrigo Duterte said he plans to copy the “Masagana 99” and “Biyayang Dagat” programs implemented during the term of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in promoting the welfare of the country’s farmers and fishermen.

The programs, Duterte said, would include financial assistance, farm equipment upgrade and farm inputs distribution.

While heading the Department of Foreign Affairs over the last five years, our firm belief was that it was necessary for the Philippines to effectively assert its rightful place in the community of nations.

 

While China laid out the red carpet for President Duterte this week and returned the embrace of the Philippine leader, it is under no illusion that Manila will pivot away from Washington. “We should not take a zero-sum view on these relationships.”

 

A symposium on Mindanao issues and federalism has gathered experts, conveners, and University of the Philippines alumna and students in an afternoon filled with compelling discussions and delightful sharing of political opinions.

Nearly half of the Filipinos are poor, more than 25 percent are extremely poor, a terrible violation of human rights. Some weeks ago I explained that a “Social Market Economy,” which neither tolerates the inhuman consequences of purely profit-driven capitalism nor does it repeat the mistakes of socialist state-centralism, would be the concept of choice for sustainably overcoming poverty in the Philippines. The dignity of each human being is its core value, the market mechanism built on fair competition its main steering mechanism, a strong but subsidiary state, protecting openness and fairness of the markets and providing its citizens with a supportive framework for free and productive work and life in dignity, its guardian.

MANILA, Oct. 17 - Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III directed the 17 Regional Offices to cancel or suspend the Certificates of Registration under Department Order 18-A of contractors and subcontractors practicing illegitimate contracting and subcontracting arrangements, including ‘endo’.

 

The move to introduce changes in the 1987 Constitution via a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) has begun to snowball in the House of Representatives (HOR).

This, after two House Deputy Speakers in Cebu-3rd district Rep. Gwen Garcia and Batangas 2nd district Rep. Raneo Abu both withdrew their respective measures calling for a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con), which was the other popular mode for Charter change (Cha-cha) among congressmen.

The model concept of a Social Market Economy

More than 40 million Filipinos are poor. The sorrows! What to eat tomorrow; the fear of getting sick; no money for the doctor; the constant danger of falling into a deadly debt spiral. No money to send the children to good schools. No money for house repair, to buy clothing. Poverty – let us not betray ourselves – means a miserable life. For many million Filipinos it means hunger, no home, no regular income. It means serious violation of human dignity.

 

The first 100 days of PRRD have been a whirlwind. In street lingo, Duterte is like a spinning top (torompo), hitting everything and almost everyone is trying to decipher what he is doing. He has upped the ante. And can anything be worse than his narrative?