By BETHEENA KAE UNITE
FOUR years from now, travel time in the Philippines will be cut drastically as almost all infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program will be finished, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said yesterday.
Speaking at the Manila Bulletin Hot Seat roundtable forum, Villar said that by 2020, half of the BBB projects will be completed while more than 80 percent of the projects are ready by 2022 or when the term of President Duterte ends.
“On 2020, we’ll see half of the projects completed, by 2022, by the time the term of the President ends, halos lahat natapos na. And like I said ibang-iba, you won’t even remember what it was like before sa laki ng pagbabago.”
Travel time, he said, will be cut drastically as each expressway, bridge, and road widening is aimed at solving traffic congestion, primarily in the metropolis.
“I’m not saying this to make false promises. I’m telling you project by project and what’s my basis for saying that. I make that clear. I’m just telling you these are the projects, this is our plan and this is our timetable and you can hold me with that timetable,” Villar said.
To date, Villar reported that 1,908 kilometers of roads have been widened, 328 kilometers of diversion roads have been constructed, 1, 316 kilometers of access roads have been upgraded, and 393 kilometers of missing gaps between national roads have been connected.
The Luzon Spine Expressway Network is composed of several expressways in Luzon aims to shorten travel time from Manila to La Union and Ilocos to Bicol. These expressways, according to Villar, will double the length of existing expressways in the country from 382.26 kilometers to 834.72 kilometers.
