Marcos vows early completion of key projects in Western Visayas
President Marcos has tasked government agencies to ensure the timely completion of key infrastructure projects in agriculture, energy, tourism and flood control in the Western Visayas.
The President gave the directive on Thursday in a meeting of the Regional Development Council in Iloilo City, a few hours before he endorsed the administration’s 12 senatorial bets at an Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas rally.
In a post on his Facebook and Instagram accounts on Friday afternoon, Mr. Marcos vowed the government would complete on time the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage 2, the first large-scale water reservoir to be constructed in the Visayas and Mindanao encompassing 23 towns and the cities of Iloilo and Passi; and the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge, an ambitious bridge project linking the three major islands in the region.
“Together with the Regional Development Council, I’ve directed our agencies to ensure the speedy implementation of these infrastructure projects and key investments in agriculture, energy, tourism and flood mitigation,” the President said.
He also told local chief executives to closely work with the national government in developing and implementing priority infrastructure projects.
“Nobody is more expert in your area than the governor and mayors. We always consider your inputs to be very, very valuable. Do not be hesitant if there’s something else that you want to bring up,” Mr. Marcos told local officials gathered in the meeting.
Updates
During the RDC meeting, the province’s local officials updated him on the progress of the government’s key infrastructure projects in the Western Visayas, among them the rehabilitation and improvement of the Boracay Circumferential Road; the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage III; the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridge Project; the Panay Railway System; and the Boracay Bridge Project.
Also discussed were the road widening project along Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue in Aklan; the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway; Panay East-West Road; Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project; and the Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway.
He said his interaction with the local chief executives at the RDC meeting was “very useful” for the national government.
“It is very important for us at the national level to hear from the locals. I am always reminding everyone that you must do all these big projects, small projects, whatever it is – as long as it’s a national initiative,” the President added.
While in the city, the President also visited the Trabaho Para sa Bagong Pilipinas job fair held by the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
