Malacañang is grateful for the assistance offered by Japan to improve the country’s infrastructure network.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is working with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to update a “transport infrastructure roadmap” by next month. JICA is a government agency handling overseas development assistance for the Japanese government.

“We thank the Japanese government for helping us in our economic development efforts,” Abella said during a Palace news conference.

Abella said the infrastructure roadmap would identify urban transport strategies, address traffic demand in the coming years, and help spread economic opportunities in areas outside Metro Manila.

“We are moving closer to our goal of easing traffic congestion in Metro Manila and surrounding areas with the completion of an updated transport infrastructure roadmap by November,” he said.

Abella also cited that Japanese financial giant Nomura has expressed interest in some major infrastructure projects in the country.

Among these projects are: the development of Clark International Airport as the second major airport by 2020, the 9,500-hectare Clark Green City, a 655-kilometer spine expressway across Luzon, and the Manila-Clark railway.

“All these would improve connectivity for tourism, agriculture and industrial sectors under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program,” Abella said.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Genalyn D. Kabiling

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