MANILA, Jan. 3 (DBM) -- The Aquino Administration will start the New Year with a bang as it has lined-up P141.8-billion worth of infrastructure projects, funded by the recently-enacted General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2012, which are ready for implementation starting this month.

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said these infrastructure projects include national roads and bridges; airports, seaports and lighthouses; classrooms and other education facilities; potable water supply systems, irrigation and post-harvest facilities; and flood control and slope protection structures.

"By January, we will comprehensively issue the allotments for the P141.8-billion infrastructure projects. The implementing departments and agencies will then be able to bid these out. In fact, many of these projects have already been bided-out short of award," he said.

"The big difference for this year is that project implementation can now take place in January 2012 and not in August as was the case for the 2011 budget. It is now possible due to the disaggregation of lump sums and the early pre-procurement activities that rolled up in the last quarter of the year," he said.

The Budget Chief said that of 2,187 line-item infrastructure projects nationwide that are funded in the 2012 budget, already 2,025 projects or 93 percent are already bided out and will be given notice proceed for the first quarter of 2012.

The P141.8 billion is part of the P182.2-billion total budget for government infrastructure under the 2012 National Budget. It is 25.6 percent higher than the 2011 allocation and represents a higher 1.6 percent of gross domestic product (GPD) compared to 1.4 percent in 2011.

The Department of Public Works and Highways cornered the majority of the P141.79-billion infrastructure program by implementing P91.57 billion worth of projects. DPWH will start the maintenance, upgrading and addressing the critical bottlenecks of roads. It will also commence the construction and rehabilitation of national bridges, major flood control projects and payments of right of way, among others.

The agriculture sector will likewise execute a total of P27.80 billion projects with P24.49 billion to be spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture and P3.31 billion to be implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). The agriculture infrastructure program will pave the way for the construction of farm to market roads, post harvest facilities, provision of potable water supply and irrigation facilities.

The Department of Education (DepEd) will be implementing a total of P13.97 billion infrastructure programs in the beginning of the year, starting with the construction, repair and rehabilitation of classrooms, including the public school system's water and sanitation facilities.

Likewise, the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) will set off airport improvement activities with P7.20 billion infrastructure projects on January. It will upgrade the sanitation facilities in the airports, and fund the construction and rehabilitation of ports and lighthouses nationwide.

To implement one of the priority programs of the Aquino administration in providing sustainable access to safe drinking water, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will start its P770 million infrastructure projects to build potable water supply.

The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission will commence the P107.96-million rehabilitation and development of the main Pasig River and its tributary waterways (esteros). The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will also implement its P356.90 million infrastructure projects building roads, bridges and water supply throughout the region.

The early implementation of key infrastructure programs at the start of the year can hit the ground running for the priority projects of the Aquino administration on 2012. It also reinforces the President's commitment to his Social Contract with the Filipino People, and underscores our mission to ensure economic development and transparent government spending.

Infrastructure Projects To Start In January 2012
Agencies	Budget
Department of Public Works and Highways	P91.57 billion
Department of Agriculture	P24.49 billion
Department of Agrarian Reform	P3.31 billion
Department of Interior and Local Government	P770 million
Department of Education	P13.97 billion
Department of Transportation and Communication	P7.20 billion
Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission	P107.96 million
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao	P356.89 million
GRAND TOTAL	P141.79 billion
Note: Allotments for these projects will be released comprehensively through Agency Budget Matrixes (ABMs) to be issued at the beginning of the year. The P141.79 billion are considered infrastructure projects which are "not needing clearance;" meaning, these have already been fleshed-out in the GAA. The rest of the infrastructure program is categorized as "needing clearance," as these will require the submission of additional documents prior to release.

For inquiries, further questions and requests for interview, please contact:

OSEC-Public Information Unit (490 1000 local 2602, 0908 869 8170, dbmcommunications@gmail.com). Look for Mr. Francis Capistrano, Ms. Louie Belmonte or Mr. Jeeno Arellano. (DBM)