Philippines House approves 30-year infrastructure planning bill

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Philippines 30-year infrastructure bill

Highlights

The Philippine House approved House Bill No. 11597 with 284 votes for, eight against, and one abstention, establishing a 30-year Comprehensive Infrastructure Development Masterplan.
The proposed Masterplan covers sectors such as transportation, energy, water, telecommunications, and agriculture, led by a council chaired by the President and closely coordinated with the national budget.
Funding for initial implementation will come from the Department of Economy, Planning and Development, with future costs included in annual budgets and oversight by a Joint Congressional Committee.

Legislative framework and planning scope

As reported by BusinessWorld Online, House Bill No. 11597 passes on Monday with 284 votes in favor, eight against and one abstention, advancing a proposed Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development Act. The bill sets out a Comprehensive Infrastructure Development Masterplan covering transportation, logistics, energy, water resources, telecommunications, social infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries and the maintenance of existing assets.

The 30-year plan is intended to guide infrastructure investment, budget priorities and land development in coordination with the Philippine Development Plan and the national budget. It also proposes a Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development Council to formulate, review and oversee implementation, with the President as chair and the secretary of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development as vice-chairman.

Its membership includes government department heads, representatives of local government leagues and eight industry stakeholders. The measure also requires planning to include transit-oriented development, land-value capture mechanisms and shared corridors for compatible utilities such as power lines, mass transit systems and telecommunications infrastructure.

Oversight, funding and objections

A Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Infrastructure Planning and Development is set to monitor implementation, identify deficiencies and conduct quarterly reviews under the bill. The committee is to include six members each from the Senate and House of Representatives, backed by a subcommittee focused on long-term planning and future development needs.

Initial implementation costs are to be funded through existing appropriations of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development, while future expenses are to be included in annual national budgets. Supporters frame the measure as a way to reduce duplication and improve land use through better coordination of major projects and utility corridors.

Party-list Rep. Renee Louise M. Co opposes the bill, arguing that it lacks a broader long-term economic development strategy to anchor infrastructure priorities. She also raises concerns about possible concentration of influence over infrastructure spending, limited public oversight of material costs and land valuations, and whether affected communities have enough room to shape planning decisions.

Our earlier coverage of the planned Pax Silica industrial hub in New Clark City detailed how questions over water and energy supply, transport capacity, environmental review, and potential community displacement intensified scrutiny of the project. We also noted that Pax Silica’s viability is closely tied to the broader Luzon Economic Corridor, where proposed rail, grid upgrades, and other utility and logistics investments are meant to support semiconductor and advanced manufacturing supply chains.

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