SONA 2025: Infrastructure projects to continue, vows Marcos

GMA Network

5 days ago

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. during his State of the Nation Address on Monday said the completion of the government's big-ticket infrastructure projects will continue even beyond his term.
'Asahan ninyo, magpapatuloy ang malawakang programang pang-imprastraktura ng Administrasyon,' Marcos said in his fourth SONA at the Batasang Pambansa.
(You should expect that the administration's extensive infrastructure initiative will continue.)
'Ang mga naglalakihang proyekto ay nakalatag na sa buong kapuluan. Mga daan, tulay, tren, paliparan, pantalan, patubig, at murang pabahay. Ilan dito, matatapos ngayong administrasyon. Ang iba naman, makukumpleto at mararamdaman ang dalang ginhawa pagkatapos na ng aking termino,' the President said.
(Big-ticket projects are already in place in the entire archipelago. These are roads, bridges, trains, airports, seaports, waterworks, and affordable housing. Some of these will be completed before the end of my administration while some will be finished and its benefits will be felt by the end of my term.)
Marcos assured the government is investing for the county's future.
'We are not building only for today, but we are building for tomorrow,' he said.
The President cited the ongoing North-South Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway projects.
'Patuloy din ang pagpapaganda natin sa serbisyo ng MRT at LRT (Service improvements at the MRT and LRT are ongoing as well),' he said.
The country's chief touted the increased fare discounts for students, seniors, and PWDs to 50% as well as the 1+3 'Pamilya Pass' every Sunday at the LRT and MRT systems.
Marcos added the administration is working on operationalizing the idle Dalian trains for MRT-3, which were purchased in 2014.
'Halos singkwentang dagdag na karwahe ang natengga nang sampung taon. Sayang ang pera. Sayang ang isang dekada. Pero ngayon, naayos na natin. Ang tatlong bagon ay nagagamit na ngayon. Asahan ninyo, ang ilan sa apatnapu't lima ay magagamit na rin natin bago matapos ang taong ito; at ang iba ay sa susunod na taon naman,' Marcos said.
(Almost 50 additional carriages lay idle for 10 years. That was money and a decade wasted. But now we were able to fix them. Three trains are now operational. You can expect some of the remaining 45 carriages will be added before the year ends; and the rest will be running in 2026.)
Bataan-Cavite bridge
Marcos said the multi-billion dollar Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge will begin construction before the year ends.
'Kung ang biyahe ngayon mula Mariveles hanggang Naic ay umaabot nang limang oras, balang araw ito ay magiging apatnapu't limang minuto na lamang,' he said.
(If the current travel time from Mariveles, Bataan to Naic, Cavite is five hours long, it will be shortened to just 45 minutes.)
Spanning a distance of 32.15 kilometers, the project is poised to provide a strategic convergence between Regions III and IV-A, fostering greater economic growth and improved tourism.
'Ang mga riles ng PNR Bicol Line na sinira ng bagyong Kristine ay unti-unting pinatibay at naa-ayos na, kasama na ang Binahan Bridge. Hindi magtatagal, madadagdagan pa ang haba ng linya nito, at aabot na sa Ragay, Camarines Sur hanggang Tagkawayan, Quezon,' Marcos said.
(The rails of PNR Bicol Line that were damaged by Typhoon Kristine are being reinforced and repaired. It won't take long until its line will be extended further reaching Ragay, Camarines Sur up to Tagkawayan, Quezon.)
The President said the project will ease traffic congestion for motorists going between Quezon province and the Bicol Region.
SLEX extension
Marcos added that the extension of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Tiaong, Quezon will be completed by 2026.
'Kapag natapos ang buong proyekto, ang dating apat na oras na biyahe, magiging isang oras na lamang,' he said.
'Kaya ina-atasan ko ang DOTr at DPWH na bantayang mabuti ang mga proyekto sa kahabaan ng Quezon patulak ng Bicol, at tiyaking tama ang kalidad, matibay, at nasa takdang oras ng pagtatapos,' he added.
(When the project is finished, what used to be a four-hour trip will just be an hour.
That's why I directed the DOTr and DPWH to closely supervise these projects from Quezon to Bicol in order to ensure quality, durability and on time completion.)
Mindanao projects
In his SONA, the country's chief executive also mentioned the infrastructure projects in Mindanao.
'Ang Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge, na una sa tatlong mahahalagang tulay na ginagawa ngayon sa Tawi-Tawi, ay nabuksan na,' Marcos said.
'Sa susunod na taon, ang tulay sa Malassa-Lupa Pula naman ang matatapos,' he added.
(The Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge, the first of three important bridges being constructed in Tawi-Tawi, has been opened.
Next year, the Malassa-Lupa Pula Bridge will be completed.)
The President said the government is also working on the Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project.
'Sa proyektong ito, aayusin natin ang mga pangunahing daan na nag-uugnay sa Cagayan de Oro, Davao, at General Santos, na may haba na apat na raan at dalawampu't walong kilometro,' Marcos said.
(This project will address the primary road linking Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos City that has a length of 428 kilometers.)
Guadalupe Bridge rehab
The President said he will not allow the rehabilitation of the Guadalupe Bridge to be stalled further to the next administration.
'Nasa Senado pa lamang ako, pinag-uusapan na ito. Hindi ko na papayagang tumawid pa ito ng isa pang administrasyon. Kaligtasan na ng publiko ang nakataya,' Marcos said.
'Hindi po isasara ang Guadalupe Bridge. Gagawa muna tayo ng detour bridge sa magkabilang gilid bilang pansamantalang daanan. Kapag nagawa na at binuksan na ang detour bridge, doon pa lamang sisimulan ang trabaho sa main bridge,' he said.
(This was already being planned since I was in the Senate. I will not allow this issue to reach yet another administration. Public safety is at stake here.
Guadalupe Bridge will not be closed. A detour bridge will be constructed on opposite ends as a temporary measure. Once the detour bridge is finished, we will start work on the main bridge.)
Hanging bridges
'At sa kabila ng mga higanteng tulay na ito, huwag nating kaliligtaan ang mga hanging bridge sa iba't ibang lugar sa ating bansa,' Marcos said.
'Mahalaga ang mga ito sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ng publiko, lalo na sa mga guro at estudyante. Ilan ang nabalitaan kong insidente ng pagbagsak ng mga tulay na ganito. Halimbawa, iyong nangyari sa Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur, at sa iba pang mga lugar, Kawawa naman ang mga kababayan nating walang kamalay-malay na nabiktima at nasaktan, na pawang mga batang mag-aaral at kanilang mga guro,' the President said.
(Aside from these giant bridges, we have not forgotten the hanging bridges in several parts of the country.
These serve the daily lives of the public, especially teachers and students. I have received reports of these bridges of this type falling. An example is that of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur and other places. What happened to our countrymen such as teachers and students, is saddening.)
The President said he has tasked the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity to look into the condition of these hanging bridges.
'Sa tulong ng PAMANA (PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn) at iba pang mga programa, ayusin at kumpunihin natin agad,' Marcos said.
(With the help of PAMANA, and other programs, we will fix and inspect these immediately.)
Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge
Marcos said corruption in administering government projects will not be overlooked, citing the collapsed Cabaga-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela.
'Ang kapalpakan sa pagdisenyo at sa pagkakagawa; Ang mababang kalidad at marupok na mga materyales; Ang pagka-antala ng proyekto; at ang kapabayaan sa tamang pagmentina at pagkumpuni,' he said.
'Halimbawa, ang Cabagan-Sta. Maria bridge sa Isabela na sinimulan noong 2014. Ginastusan ng taumbayan ng isang bilyon. Sampung taong tinayo.Nang buksan, ilang araw pa lang, giba na agad. Ang mahal. Ang tagal ginawa. Ang bilis nasira,' he added.
(The sloppy design and construction; the low quality and poor quality of materials; the delays in the project; and the careless maintenance and repair.
For example, the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela that began in 2014. Taxpayers paid P1 billion. It took 10 years to finish. After it opened, in just a few days, it collapsed. It was expensive and took a long time to build. It quickly fell down.)
Marcos, meanwhile, cited the San Juanico Bridge —a legacy project of his father and namesake— built about 50 years ago.
'Ang San Juanico Bridge naman: limampung taon na, nakatayo pa rin hanggang ngayon. Ganoon siya katibay. Ngunit nakaligtaan naman ang wastong pagmentina at pagkumpuni sa pagdaan ng mga dekada. Nalagay pa tuloy sa panganib ang publiko. Hindi dapat ganito,' he said.
(The San Juanico Bridge: After 50 years, it still stands. It's a tough bridge. But through the decades its maintenance and repair have been neglected. This has placed the public at risk. It should not be like this.)
'Sa Build Better More, higit ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng mamamayan. Ang mga proyekto, tama dapat ang disenyo. Mataas dapat ang kalidad. Natatapos dapat sa takdang oras. At naaalagaan at namementinang mabuti,' he added.
(Under Build Better More, the welfare and safety of the people are the priority. The projects should be properly designed. Their quality should be high. They should be finished within the allotted time. And undergo proper care and maintenance.) — RF, GMA Integrated News