NEDA Board-Approved Major Infrastructure Projects in Davao City, To Start Very Soon

Construction of major infrastructure projects in Davao City shall start very soon following their approval by the NEDA Board, chaired by His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III, on October 17, 2014.  Procurement process for the Davao Airport Development, Operations and Maintenance Project and the Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project, which shall be undertaken through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Arrangement,are ongoing. 

The 40-billion-peso Davao Airport Project shall involve the expansion of cargo and passenger terminal buildings, apron area and other key facilities such as parking area and administration building, as well as construction of a full parallel taxiway.  The project intends to decongest the airport which is currently operating beyond its capacity. The private partner will undertake the operation and maintenance of the airport under a 30-year concession period.

The 17-billion-peso Davao Sasa Port Project, on the other hand, shall involve the development of the existing Davao Sasa Port into a modern, international-standard container terminal that will improve trade access to Mindanao and the Philippines by providing a dedicated containerized port in Davao Region. The private partner will finance the construction and modernization of the existing port including the new apron, linearquay, expansion of the back-up area, container yards, warehouses, and the installation of new equipment like ship-to-shore cranes and rubber-tyredgantry. The private partner will also be responsible in operating and maintaining the port for a 30-year concession period.

Other prospective infrastructure projects that are expected to propel Davao City’s, as well as, the entire Davao Region’s economy, are the Davao-Samal Bridge Project and the Davao City Bypass Road Project.  Negotiations for the conduct of a feasibility study (FS) for the Davao-Samal Bridge Project, to be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), is underway.  

Meantime, NEDA is awaiting the submission of the project proposal on Davao City’s proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project, which is a basic requirement for the evaluation and endorsement of major

infrastructure projects by the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the NEDA Board for projects that shall be undertaken through the various PPP modalities prescribed under the Build-Operate Transfer (BOT) Law.

Per NB-ICC guidelines, projects referred to the Regional Development Council (RDC) by Local GovernmentUnits (LGUs) shouldbeendorsed by the concerned Local Development Councils (LDCs) and supported by a feasibility study.