Rail, highway devt. among NEDA priority projects

The National Economic and Development Authority on Monday announced that it has chosen 10 priority projects, worth roughly P80.68 billion, to present before the Philippine Development Forum this weekend. Eight of the ten projects are transportation infrastructure projects. "We chose to present these projects because they are in the advanced stage already. It's either they had undergone a review by the Investment Coordination Committee or they are undergoing a review by the ICC," NEDA Infrastructure staff director Ruben Reinoso told reporters. Included in the list are the Light Rail Transit Line 1 South Extension-Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite; the Northrail-Southrail Linkage project Phase 2; and the Metro Rail Transit-Light Rail Transit Loop are among the priority projects. Also picked were the North Luzon Expressway Extension Project; Rehabilitation of Quirino Highway; North Luzon Expressway Extension Project (the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway Project); Palawan South Road; Panguil Bay Bridge and the North Luzon East Expressway. Rounding up the list are Bicol Emergency Restortaion Project; Angat Water and Utilization Improvement Project. Reinoso added that these projects have "high returns, big impact to the socio-economic development and no major issues that could hinder the implementation".-Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV