Year-End Review: Construction Projects in the Philippines Launched and Initiated in 2022

Infrastructure was the main focus of the past administration under Duterte; hence the Build Build Build program, assisting the “golden age of infrastructure” in the country, aims to address the infrastructure gap and aid to reduce poverty, and enhance economic growth and decongest the Philippine’s Capital. 

With the transition of the new administration in 2022, the program, together with PPP or Public-Private Partnership that offers funding for public sectors through infrastructure, continues to progress and aid the Filipino public. These include 44 projects under the Aquino administration, Clark International Airport Expansion, New Clark City and Subic-Clark Railway Project, among others. 

Three projects reached completion at the end of the year, mainly Flood Risk Management Project in Cagayan; the Metro Manila Logistics Network; and the LRT-2 East Extension, which was completed in May 2022. But all the hopes for the program as it was reported that 51 are under construction and 26 are in its conception phase. Here are some notable projects done in 2022 under the program:

Year-End Review: Infra Projects Finished in 2022

Binondo-Intramuros Bridge

Culture meets culture as the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge opens to the public in 2022. It connects Solana Street and Riverside Drive on the Intramuros side and Binondo at Rentas Street, Plaza del Conde Street, and Muelle de la Industria; the bridge connects the two famous locations. It links Intramuros and Binondo, resulting in a wonderful blending of Chinese and Spanish cultural elements. It also represents the future and the past as it sits right beside the iconic Jones Bridge, which was remodeled back to its glory. The Chinese government donated the bridge program, taking charge of its design and construction.

LRT-2 East Extension

Traveling from the Province of Rizal to the Metro is now more accessible with the 3.79-kilometer elevated LRT-2 East Extension Project. Adding two stations from the current LRT 2 line, its new docking station near SM Masinag is close to the Masinag junction near Sumulong Highway in Antipolo City, Rizal.

The Php 9.51-billion LRT-2 East Extension Project will serve 80 thousand more daily passengers going to their headed destinations, noting that 40% of the new ridership will foster students as the LRT 2 line crosses the University’s concentrated areas in Manila.

SLEX Elevated Expansion

This extension is part of a large project to an interconnected system that will make traveling more accessible to neighboring regions of the nation’s Capital. Opened on February 15, it provides faster accommodation for riders and decreases car travel by 30 minutes. This elevation offers direct access to and from the elevated Skyway to South Luzon Expressway through the Alabang Viaduct. It reduces the trip from Sucat to Alabang by 4 minutes and 40 minutes travel time from Manila to Calamba, Laguna. The northbound and southbound will assist an additional 200 thousand passengers daily. 

Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway

Down to the queen city of the south, one of the year’s highlights as it opens the longest sea-crossing bridge in the Philippines, beating the old San Juanico Bridge to the public. At 8.9 kilometers long, it connects Cebu City to Cordova Town on Mactan. It will be called CCLEX and will assist 40 riders in the region daily. CCLEX will join mainland Cebu to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Export Processing Zone, and outlying hotels and casinos. 

CCLEX is one project of the PPP program under the facilitation of the LGUs of Cebu City, Cordova and the Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC). 

New Clark City

Having the aim to decongest the Metro and making it the new economic powerhouse in Central Luzon, the New Clark City, together with its various infrastructure programs, is not open to the public. The 9,450 hectares of land could accommodate a million people and businesses. It has amenities such as a sports stadium featured in the 2020 South East Asian Games and various mountains and national reserves. The project aims to move agencies and government institutions to become operational in the city for city decongestion.

What’s In Store For The Years to Come: Projects Initiated in 2022

With all the special programs done in the year, here are some infrastructure programs set to start in the year, aiming for a smoother journey in the Metro for commuters and riders:

Metro Rail Transit Line 7

With 60% completion, the MRT line 7 is one of 2022’s highlights. It will be partially available and operational to the public by the end of the year’s fourth quarter as long as there are no complications. The line runs 24 kilometers from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan. The train also connects with MRT-3 and LRT-1 via a shared stop on North Avenue, making traveling more efficient for commuters.

LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project

With 800 thousand passengers to serve, the LRT-1 Cavite extension program will reach Manila to Bacoor more efficiently. Commuters can expect the railways to become operational in 2024; it is currently at 30% of completion. It will boost economic development around the stations in the region. 

North-South Commuter Railway

One of the ambitious lines of transportation in the country with the most expensive budget of almost 900 billion pesos, the North-South Commuter Railway or Clark-Calamba Railway will connect the island of Luzon, ranging from the New Clark City in Pampanga, to Calamba, Laguna down the Southern Luzon with 36 stations on the way. It is part of the expansion of the PNR Metro Commuter line, which began in 2019 and will be functional to the public in 2029.

As the future of infrastructure is still under construction and is slow in its completion, it aims to aid commuters with more stress-free travel and boost economic growth via transportation. The Filipino people hope for the best to assist traffic and to see the great work in infrastructure that the future public eye could adore and use.

Sources:

• Abadilla, E. (2022, May 2). DOTr completes 246 airport projects. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2022/05/02/dotr-completes-246-airport-projects/
• Beldad, K. (2022, May 4). Infrastructure Development Highlights of 2022. Bria Homes. https://www.bria.com.ph/articles/infrastructure-development-highlights-of-2022/
• News & Updates | SLEX TR4 to Disperse Economic Growth to South Luzon Provinces. (2021, June 29). Bria Homes. https://www.bria.com.ph/articles/slex-tr4-to-disperse-economic-growth-to-south-luzon-provinces/
• PHL President Duterte inaugurates LRT-2 East Extension Project | Light Rail Transit Authority. (2021, July 21). Light Rail Transit Authority. https://www.lrta.gov.ph/phl-president-duterte-inaugurates-lrt-2-east-extension-project/
• Rosales, E. F. (2022, November 15). On time delivery of LRT-1 Cavite project ensured. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/11/15/2223860/time-delivery-lrt-1-cavite-project-ensured#:~:text=LRT%2D1%20will%20be%20extended
• Subic-Clark Alliance for Development. (2016). Build Build Build Projects | Subic-Clark Alliance for Development | World within Reach. Scad.gov.ph. https://scad.gov.ph/build-build-build/
• Tolentino, M. R. L. (2022, September 8). 15 of 119 infra flagship projects completed. The Manila Times. https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/09/08/news/national/15-of-119-infra-flagship-projects-completed/1857668
• What is PPP? | PPP CenterPPP Center. (2019). Ppp.gov.ph. https://ppp.gov.ph/ppp-program/what-is-ppp/