Dutertes "Build, Build, Build" includes Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge

MB reported that there are three big-ticket projects are lined up for Western Visayas. These are the P30.4 billion upgrade of the Iloilo International Airport, the P27.15 billion construction of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridges and the P19.3 billion Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project in Capiz.

During the Ambisyon Natin road show in Iloilo City, NEDA Assistant Secretary Mercedita Sombilla expressed confidence these three big-ticket projects will be completed by the end of Duterte's term. During the Aquino administration, Western Visayas benefited from the multi-billion government infrastructure projects which spurred the growth of the city and province of Iloilo.

Recently the National Economic and Development Authority launched the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022, the blueprint for the country's development under the Duterte Administration. The PDP 2017-2022 largely stems from 0-10 point Socioeconomic Agenda. It is the first of four medium-term plans that will work towards realizing AmBisyon Natin 2040, the collective vision of the Filipinos over the next 25 years.

The plan is structured along the pillars of malasakit (i.e., enhancing the social fabric), pagbabago(i.e., inequality-reducing transformation), and patuloy na pag-unlad(i.e., increasing growth potential). The plan has aim to achieve by 2022, the Philippines will be an upper-middle income country. The growth rate of GDP is set at 7 to 8 percent in the medium term. Overall poverty rate is targeted to decline from 21.6 percent in 2015 to 14 percent by 2022.

Poverty incidence in rural areas is intended to decrease from 30 percent to 20 percent for the same period. The unemployment rate will also go down to 3-5 percent by 2022 from 5.5% in 2016.

Source: NEDA,MB