State Dining Room, Malacañan Palace
December 14, 2023
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved various projects covering the infrastructure, economy and health sectors of the country as he presided over the 12th National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board Meeting at the State Dining Room in Malacañan Palace.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) proposed two (2) infrastructure projects under the government’s Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs). These include the Dalton Pass East Alignment Road Projects in Nueva Vizcaya and the Masterplan on High Standard Highway Network Development (Phase 2), which aim to support socio-economic activities from across the country by assuring connectivity for economic growth, efficiency in reducing traffic congestion, high speed mobility and safe travels to all Filipinos.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) endorsed the temporary extension of tariff rates on certain commodities under Executive Order (EO) No. 10, s. 2022, such as pork, corn and rice imports until 31 December 2024. The tariff rates on said commodities will be reviewed in a semestral basis, as this will ensure an adequate supply of agricultural goods and maintain affordable prices.
The Department of Health (DOH) likewise presented the Eight-Point Action Agenda and National Objectives for Health 2023-2028 that sets the path for the Department in improving health policies towards universal healthcare for the next five (5) years. These are in fulfillment of the DOH’s agenda, ‘Bawat Pilipino, Bawat Komunidad, Bawat Health Worker at Institusyon’, anchored in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.
President Marcos Jr. also listened to updates on projects earlier approved by the NEDA Board this year. These include the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Cancer Center Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project; Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union Expressway (TPLEX) Project; the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) airport projects such as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) PPP Project; and the Dialysis Center PPP Project for the Renal Center Facility of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
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