Over P8B DPWH budget in 2024 to accelerate socioeconomic dev’t
The proposed 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) has allotted P822.2 billion to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) — one of the key agencies President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is counting on to help achieve the administration’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda through job creation and reduced transport and logistics costs in the Build Better More Program.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F.
Pangandaman pointed out the urgency of building more public facilities,
including roads and bridges, for the country to bounce back after its economic
losses during the pandemic.
“As highlighted by the President during his second State of the
Nation Address (SONA), infrastructure development is one of the key drivers of
our continuing economic growth. As such, we will sustain this momentum through
the Build Better More Program. This will prioritize physical connectivity
infrastructure such as road networks and railway systems,” said Secretary
Pangandaman.
The DPWH is tasked to accelerate infrastructure development, as
well as sustain operations to ensure a safe, reliable national road system, and
protect lives and properties against major floods.
๐ ๐ฎ๐ท๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐
Among major DPWH programs, Flood Management is given the biggest
budget at P215.643 billion for 965 projects for the construction or
rehabilitation of flood mitigation facilities in major river basins and
principal rivers.
This is followed by the Convergence and Special Support Program
with P174.089 billion proposed budget.
For Network Development, P148.112 billion will be spent to
construct 721.656 kilometers of new roads and widen or improve 647.288
kilometers of existing roads.
For Asset Preservation, a budget of P115.588 billion is allotted
to implement the preventive maintenance of 1,196.398 kilometers of roads and
upgrade of 798.711 kilometers of damaged paved roads.
The Bridge Program’s P45.839 billion allocation is for the
construction of 15,208.83 lineal meters of bridges and maintenance,
retrofitting, repair, and rehabilitation, as well as the widening of 525
existing bridges.
๐ข๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
A separate budget of P13.968 billion is allocated to the Tourism
Road Infrastructure Program which will provide access roads leading to declared
tourism destinations.
Moreover, an allocation of P10.020 billion will be for the Roads
Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade Infrastructure Program; Tatag ng
Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Program for military and
police facilities, P3.8 billion; Special Road Fund for the construction,
upgrading, repair, and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and road drainage,
P15.232 billion.
๐ค๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ป๐ฑ
The Quick Response Fund (QRF), which has a budget of P1.0
billion, shall serve as a stand-by fund to be used for reconstruction and
rehabilitation programs, activities, or projects, including pre-positioning of
goods and equipment in order that the situation and living conditions of people
in communities or areas stricken by calamities, epidemics, crises, and
catastrophes may be normalized as quickly as possible.
The proposed 2024 DPWH budget shall cover its operating requirements, including
the implementation of both local and foreign-assisted programs, activities, and
projects. (DBM/PIA-Caraga)
