THE Philippines’ “mega” infrastructure projects would stand to benefit from the recent approval on the third and final reading by the House of Representatives the 30-year National Infrastructure Program (NIP), Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Romeo Momo said.

The program, which will cover the period from 2023 to 2052, was principally authored by the lawmaker, a former undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

House Bill (HB) No. 8078, the consolidated version of the two bills—the other one by Bulacan 6th District Rep. Salvador Pleyto—hurdled the third and final reading to institutionalize the “Build Better More” program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong”Marcos Jr.

Momo underscored the importance of the NIP in bringing continuity and cohesion in the government’s infrastructure programs.

“The 30-year infra program was conceptualized because in putting up a big project we need longer time,” he said.

“That’s why it is very necessary that big projects such as mega projects will be given more time,” the lawmaker stressed.

He added that the proposed 30-year program would be “sufficient enough” to meet the majority of the country’s major projects.

Momo recalled his years with the DPWH wherein they had to “forego in finishing or continuing the project” when a new administration comes in.

“With the new administration comes in, sometimes it cannot continue. What’s hard here is that there was initial investment not only of the government but private sector as well,” the lawmaker explained.

Momo’s explanatory note on HB 1975, his version of the bill, highlighted the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent spate of typhoons and flooding that affected the country.

“The adverse effects of the Covid pandemic, coupled with the recent spate of destructive typhoons and floods that struck the country, further highlight the need for longer-range, resilient, and high-impact engineering projects that will more effectively address major disruptive events, while complementing immediate emergency responses,” he said.

The 30-year program, the lawmaker added, would “ensure continuity in the development and implementation of the projects in the program, notwithstanding changes in national leadership.”

HB 1975 identified the the core national infrastructure projects: transport and logistics infrastructure (road transport, metropolitan and urban road and expressway systems); rail and other mass transport (long-haul rail systems, urban commuter rail systems, urban bus transit systems); ports; and airports (Mega Manila airport systems and regional airports).

Other core projects are energy infrastructure (generation, transmission, and distribution); water resources infrastructure (water supply and sanitation, irrigation, flood control and drainage); ICT infrastructure; social infrastructure (school buildings, hospital and health facilities, waste management and circular economy infrastructure, and penitentiary infrastructure); agri-fisheries modernization and food logistics infrastructure.