Philippine govt eulogizes progress in China-funded infrastructure projects

MANILA - Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez has hailed the "significant progress" made in the implementation of Philippine infrastructure projects funded with Official Development Assistance (ODA) from China, a statement said on Wednesday.

In a recent visit to China, Dominguez provided updates on the "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure projects that are being implemented by the Duterte administration with funding support from China at a meeting with a senior Chinese official.

Dominguez was referring to the two bridge projects that will help ease traffic in Metro Manila, the Binondo-Intramuros and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridges being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of the Philippines with the grant of $63.13 million from China.

Dominguez also thanked China for providing concessional loan financing for the Chico River Pump Irrigation project and the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam project.

China has extended a $62.09-million loan for the Chico river irrigation project and a $211.21-million loan for the construction of the Kaliwa Dam.

"We have been meeting with the Ministry of Commerce of China for the past two years, and we have made a lot of progress with our actual official development assistance relations with China," Dominguez said in the statement.

Dominguez said the Philippines and China are also working towards the implementation of two rail projects, the Subic-Clark Railway project in the Philippine Luzon island and the Mindanao Railway project in southern Philippines.

The Davao-Samal Bridge project in Mindanao and the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge project in Western Visayas are also two other projects in the pipeline for possible Chinese financing, Dominguez added.

"We want to assure you that the funds provided by the Chinese people through the Chinese government are going to be used to the benefit of the Filipino people," Dominguez said.