DPWH : Cebu infra budget should be P8B-P10B a year

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson  yesterday said  he supports more infrastructure projects for Cebu and welcomed a list of ten priority projects recommended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Singson also said Cebu has a better chance of growing if  town s and cities in Metro Cebu unite in a more permanent setup  like the  Subic Base Metrolopolitan Authority.

“What we are proposing is that (the) level of infrastructure investment in Cebu be sustained at the level of about P8 billion to P10 billion annually,” said Singson in his opening speech during the JICA final seminar program at the Radisson Blu hotel in Cebu City.

In 2011, the budget of DPWH for Cebu was P3 billion.   In 2015, it was increased to P7.2 billion,  he said.

“What goes into the budget is going to be what you will be agreeing on here,” he said.

JICA gave an overview of its  nearly completed Roadmap Study for Sustainable Urban Development in Metro Cebu in a presentation to the board of the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) headed by chairman Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and co-chairman Roberto Aboitiz.

Japan consultants presented the draft final report last Wednesday to the board’s steering committee at the Capitol. The final report will be ready in May.

The forum was attended by Noriaki Niwa, chief representative of JICA in the Philippines; Dr. Katsuhide Nagayama, JICA study team leader, and Metro Cebu mayors.

Secretary  Singson, in his speech, said the DPWH has been “eagerly awaiting” the outcome of the roadmap study which was kicked off in 2013.

He encouraged Mega Cebu members to stay united.

“The current situation of Metro Cebu’s setup is still very loose.  You need to be able to institutionalize the arrangements so regardlesss of political whims  of local govenrments, it will not matter.There has to be an institutional arrangement that will move these plans forward.”

The secretary said  DPWH is willing to fund projects that Cebu will identify as critical priority and are due for implementation within the next few years.

Japan consultants recommended ten flagship projects to be implemented this year until 2017.

Three are big infrastructure projects:
* A Mactan Dual-Mode bridge to cost at least P12.8 billion would meet the 2020 demand for more traffic access between Cebu mainland and Mactan.
* A Mananga II Dam, pegged at P4.78 billion, should be built between 2015 and 2019.

Construction and networking of septage plants at  P1.2 billion would involve six plants excluding one being developed in Mactan.

Who would finance the dam?

JICA recommended that the executing agency be the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) or the local government unit, or both through a joint venture.

Secretary Singson said the national government may shell out initial investment for the undertaking with MCWD paying the cost over time.

“The water district will have to repay that over time. Let’s say 10 years or 20 years,” he said.

In a separate interview, Singson said he still has to meet with Governor Davide and the water district about options. He said the national govenrment may provide 40 percent subsidy for septage projects.

JICA’s study will be presented to national government agencies  and the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) before it reaches the economic cabinet cluster under the Office of the President.

“With this, President Aquino will see that Cebu already has a plan and direction until 2050,” she told reporters.