The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The first full Cabinet for 2025 discussed issues, concerns and ultimately solutions to such concerns so the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) can implement its projects, Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said.
Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on January 7, 2025 convened the Cabinet and included in the agenda was implementation of DOTr’s big ticket transport projects.
“We had a very fruitful discussions of issues, especially on flagship infrastructure projects of the Department of Transportation. We talked about around 15 or 16 infrastructure flagship projects. We discussed issues, concerns, and ways forward on how to proceed, so that we can implement all these important projects of the administration,” Sec. Bautista said during a press briefing joined by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy.
Among the projects tackled during the Cabinet meeting, Sec. Bautista said, were the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), Metro Manila Subway Project, MRT-4, MRT-7, LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension, New Cebu International Container Port, PNR South Longhaul, Mindanao Railway, and the New Dumaguete Airport Development.
According to the transport chief, the meeting emphasized on railway projects, which was dovetailed by issues, which could hamper its implementation such as the right-of-way and property acquisition, funding, relocation of affected persons and utilities, registration of properties, among others.
“These are being discussed and we have presented to the Cabinet our ways for forward, so we will be able to implement all these projects before the end of the term of the President,” said Sec. Bautista.
Sec. Bautista assured that despite the significant reduction in the agency’s 2025 budget, the DOTr can still execute these transport projects from loan proceeds with its development partners, pointing out that the budget reduction has minimal effect on its operations.
“As far as the DOTr is concerned, we should be able to continue our projects. There were some reductions in our budget, but we should be able to fund these from the loan proceeds. We are happy that government share in our infrastructure projects were not reduced, so we will continue to implement these programs,” he explained. “We have discussed these with our development partners and they will continue to provide loans to DOTr.”
“Sa amin, it’s a very minor, minor effect,” he added.
Sec. Bautista said the agency will actively coordinate with concerned agencies in resolving each issue, most especially right-of-way, to expedite the construction of these projects.
“Ang instruction ng President is to coordinate with all government agencies so that all issues are resolved [regarding ROW]. Ito ang isa sa mga pinakamalaking problem ng infrastructure implementation, right-of-way. Ang position namin ay we have taken proactive measures to address each issue and we are working to keep each project on track,” he said.