VOTING 254 against three and zero abstentions, the House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading a consolidated bill providing for a 30-year national infrastructure program for 2023 up to 2052.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said House Bill (HB) No. 8078 aims to put in place a long-term system of funding and sustaining public infrastructure projects for the benefit of the people.
“This will be an all-encompassing program covering not only public works like roads, bridges and expressways, which we commonly refer to as infrastructure, but also energy, water resources, information and technology, agri-fisheries, food logistics, and socially-oriented structures such as school buildings and other educational facilities,” Speaker Romualdez said.
“It would institutionalize the ‘Build Better More’ program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to support a strong economy that would generate more job and income opportunities for our people, and build a
resilient and reliable national infrastructure network,” he said.
HB No. 8078 mandates the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), in consultation with implementing agencies and stakeholders, formulate the 30-year infrastructure program in detail, including measurable targets and the selection, prioritization and phasing of specific projects.
The measure provides that the total annual allocation for the program shall be at least five percent of gross domestic product, provided that the constitutional command giving budgetary priority to education shall be observed.
The government may also tap official development assistance as funding source.
The NEDA and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall determine the funding allotment for each implementing agencies based on their priorities, absorptive capacity and performance.
Projects under the program may be undertaken by the national government through its implementing agencies, by the private sector through public-private-partnership (PPP) agreements, PPPs in
partnership with local government units, or a combination of those modalities.
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