Of the P72-billion stimulus package announced by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III last week, P6 billion will go to the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
In a speech delivered at the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 37th Philippine Business Conference and Exposition last week, Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the amount will be used for rehabilitation and maintenance of the Light Rail Transits 1 and 2 and the Mass Rail Transit 3 systems.
New light rail vehicles will be purchased to solve the problem of overcapacity. The MRT is designed to carry only 360,000 passengers a day but is currently transporting 488,000 passengers.
“The President’s P72-billion stimulus package is designed to keep growth levels up by preserving investment momentum. The (DOTC’s) master plan will build the enduring impact of the stimulus package by clearing the arteries of commerce and mobility,” Roxas said.
“When completed, the transport infrastructure projects will spur jobs creation as a large number of direct jobs will be generated,” he added, noting that “indirect employment in the insurance, finance, packaging, travel and tourism services and manufacturing sectors are all interlinked with the transport sector.”
Earlier, Roxas unveiled a P565-billion five-year infrastructure plan covering the land, rail, sea and air sectors. It includes development of ports in Davao, roll on-roll off projects linking China with either Batangas or Subic Bay, construction of new airports, the reconfigured North Rail project, and extension of LRT lines 1 and 2.
