Project budget proposals of attached government agencies of the Infrastructure Sector of Regional Development Council – National Capital Region (RDC-NCR) under the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) underwent a rigid scrutiny during the Fiscal Year 2013 Regional Consultation and Budget Hearing hosted by Valenzuela City recently.

Mayor WIN Gatchalian, Chairman of Infrastructure Sector of RDC-NCR, who spearheaded the discussion, deliberation, and approval of budget proposals said that “those entered for presentation were ensured to comply with the preset budget ceiling to optimize the taxpayer’s money.”

With his innate analytical skills on financial matters, sloppy proposals were deferred until they were polished and justified accordingly, extending the one-day meeting into two.

Highlighted on the said consultation meeting is the complementation of the projects of the national agencies to the programs of the LGUs that are embedded with the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) as an engine of growth and development for the NCR.

Mayor WIN endorsed the Department of Public Works and Highways Build Operate Transfer’s (DPWH-BOT) Three Priority Expressway Projects.

In view of the growing need for additional access between Metro Manila and Cavite which undergoes rapid urbanization, the Daang Hari-SLEx Link Project shall be carried out with an estimated cost of Php1.956 Billion. It is a new four-kilometer, four-lane paved toll road that shall pass through the New Bilibid Prison reservation, and shall connect Bacoor, Cavite to the South Luzon Expressway thru Susana Heights.

The construction of NLEx-SLEx Connector Project to decongest Metro Manila traffic, has a total cost of Php 20.181 Billion.  It is a 13.4 kilometer four-lane elevated expressway that shall pass through Metro Manila and shall utilize the existing PNR alignment as its route.

To provide improved access to Ninoy Aquino International Airpor t, the NAIA Expressway Project, Phase 2 required a total project cost of Php 14.59 Billion, including the projected right of way expenses. It is a four-lane elevated expressway with a total length of 7.15 kilometers, which starts from Sales Street going to Andrews Avenue, Domestic Road, MIA Road and ends at Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard. It also includes the construction of toll plazas and ramps.

The Toll Regulatory Board’s (TRB) presentation was one of Mayor WIN’s highly commended agencies despite its initial deference. It convinced the chair by justifying the salient project features for an innovative stance against recurring high profile accidents.

“Around 70% to 80% of our constituents use the highways on a daily basis. I understand that it is indeed costly if modernization has to take place to extinguish overwhelming accidents, which even took the life of our dear friend Vice Mayor Arnold Vicencio at SLEX. I am satisfied of the revitalized budget proposal of the TRB,” Mayor WIN accounted before endorsing the proposals.

Other member-agencies of infrastructure sector of RDC-NCR which underwent the grueling deliberation were the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3), Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Philippine National Railways (PNR), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), Department of Public Works and Highways National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR), Department of Public Works and Highways Urban Road Projects Office (DPWH-URPO), Department of Public Works and Highways Build Operate Transfer (BOT), Department of Public Works and Highways Kalookan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela (DPWH-KAMANAVA).