New EO set to accelerate Philippine infrastructure

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Order (EO) No. 59, designed to fast-track the country’s Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced on Tuesday, May 7.

NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said that EO 59 aims to bolster the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 by expanding and enhancing the nation’s infrastructure. This move is part of a broader strategy for social and economic transformation.

“By streamlining the processing of IFPs, we are making it easier for implementing agencies and more attractive for our partners in the private sector to execute transformative infrastructure projects,” Balisacan said in a press statement.

He noted that these projects would generate employment and support the rapid expansion of the Philippine economy.

EO 59 introduces key changes, such as simplifying the requirements for the NEDA Board-approved list of IFPs and mandating national government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to update their Citizen’s Charters to cut down redundant procedures.

“The primary goal of this EO is to minimize, if not eliminate, delays in the implementation of IFPs. We are in a hurry to catch up with our neighbors in the region, so the government must enable—not hinder—the timely completion of these projects,” Balisacan emphasized.

The order also promotes a technological shift by facilitating electronic applications and payment processes and requiring agencies and LGUs to automate and computerize their databases to improve data sharing and reduce document duplication.

Furthermore, EO 59 compels LGUs to establish business one-stop shops and work closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to adopt interoperable ICT platforms for efficient project execution.

“This executive order signifies the Marcos Administration’s commitment to aggressively advance infrastructure development as a key driver of our social and economic transformation,” Balisacan affirmed.

The updated list of IFPs, comprising 185 projects valued at PHP 9.14 trillion, is available on the NEDA website.