More infrastructure projects – roads and bridges – are expected to be initiated or completed in the region this year, the top official of the regional National Economic Development Authority (NEDA XI) said.
Maria Lourdes Lim, NEDA XI regional director, said last Jan. 24, among the big ticket projects for this year include the Mindanao Railway project, particularly the Tagum-Davao-Digos (TDD) segment with a total of P82.9 billion cost.
Lim said the expected construction of the TDD railway will commence in the first semester of this year.
“TDD is expected to be partially operational in 2022. The full operation is expected to be implemented in the year 2023,” she said.
Lim said this project will provide passengers traveling from Tagum City, Davao del Norte and Digos, Davao del Sur a safe, fast, and reliable transport option.
She also said that the project will serve approximately 134,000 rides a day by 2022, and up to 237,000 by the year 2023. Daily ridership to about 370,000 is also expected by the year 2042.
“The TDD segment is expected to reduce travel time between Tagum and Digos from 3.5 hours to only 1.3 hours,” she added.
Other modernization projects are also expected to start this year.
These included the transport modernization of the city, particularly the High Bus Priority System (HBPS) with P18.6 billion cost, which is expected to start in the first quarter of 2020.
NEDA also reported that the Davao Sasa Port will also be modernized to improve its services. Estimated project cost is P6.135 billion.
The general cargo berth and the construction of the port’s back up area is also expected to be upgraded.
There will also be a construction of wharf for rail mounted gantry cane. The rubber tired gantry lanes will also be upgraded, the reports from NEDA revealed.
The Davao International Airport is also included in the modernization projects of the city. According to the NEDA, the airport will expand and upgrade its facilities for better services. The estimated project cost is P48.97 billion.
