THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) is looking to approve four loans for major Philippine transport infrastructure projects until 2028.
“ADB’s support to the government’s Infrastructure Flagship Program (IFP) continues with new upcoming operations in the transport sector,” Hiroaki Yamaguchi, senior director for transport at ADB, said in an e-mail.
The bank has yet to finalize the approval dates and loan sizes for the projects, he said.
“These projects are prepared under the ADB financed Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility (IPIF), which is supporting the preparation, pre-implementation, and early implementation of climate-resilient transport infrastructure projects in the Philippines,” Mr. Yamaguchi added.
The ADB plans to approve a proposed $1-billion loan by next year to fund the construction of the Metro Rail Transit Line 4 (MRT-4).
MRT-4 will have 10 stations along a 13.4 kilometer-longline from the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) Ortigas Ave. junction to Taytay, Rizal.
The project is expected to ease road congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the highly urbanized area.
The ADB also hopes to obtain loan approval for the 37-kilometer Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project this year. Its proposed funding stands at $3.5 billion through its multitranche financing facility.
The proposed Laguna Lakeshore Road Network would link the City of Taguig to the City of Calamba, south of the capital region.
For 2027, the ADB hopes to co-finance with the Japan International Cooperation Agency a 65-kilometer highway linking Cagayan de Oro City to Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
The proposed Central Mindanao High Standard Highway Project is expected to improve connectivity and economic growth between northern and central Mindanao.
The bank also plans to approve a loan for the Central Luzon Corridor Rail Network Extension by 2028.
The proposed rail line will extend the North–South Commuter Railway system to central Luzon to improve freight travel and connect seaports to the capital.
The railway aims to “establish a predominant freight railway network to improve multimodal logistics and connect seaports in Central Luzon with Metro Manila.”
The bank also said it is supporting the Departments of Transportation (DoTr) and Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in its feasibility studies and detailed engineering design for upcoming projects, Mr. Yamaguchi said.
These include road, railway, metro rail, public transport, maritime transport and shipping infrastructure under the IPIF’s third tranche.
To date, the ADB’s lending portfolio covers nine transport projects amounting to $11.48 billion.
These include a $500-million technical assistance loan for the DoTr and the DPWH, $380 million for the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project, and $100 million in emergency assistance for Marawi City.
The bank previously approved a $2.75-billion loan for the Malolos-Clark Railway Project, $138 million for the EDSA Greenways Project, and $175 million to fund the Metro Manila Bridges Project.
The South Commuter Railway Project was granted a $4.3-billion loan, the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project $1.01 billion, and the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge $2.11 billion.
As of May 21, the government had 185 IFPs worth P9.14 trillion in the pipeline, according to the National Economic and Development Authority. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
