The early approval of the 2008 national budget by the bicameral conference committee would mean sustained growth for Western Visayas in terms of infrastructure development, National Economic Development Authority 6 Acting Regional Director Arturo Valero said.

Valero said Western Visayas in 2007 attained faster growth with the implementation of major projects such as the New Iloilo Airport Development Project in Cabatuan, Iloilo , aside from the opening of the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City , Negros Occidental.

In 2007, the Department of Public Works and Highways completed P2. 4 billion worth of projects in the region, including the construction of 220 kilometers of national roads and 1, 148 lineal meters of national bridges totaling P1.022 billion.

Valero said this year, other major projects in Western Visayas could be funded with additional budget from the DPWH.

Also, the construction of access road to Bacolod-Silay Airport is also being taken up by the Investment Coordination Committee. Other major projects in the region are the Panay River Control Project, the Caticlan Airport Development Project in Malay, Aklan, and the Iloilo-Caticlan road network.

Delayed approval of the 2008 national budget would also mean delay in the implementation of these projects, Valero said.

The NEDA 6 chief said infrastructure projects are important for Western Visayas which is positioning itself as a major eco-tourism site.

Last year, projects completed by DPWH included the concreting of the Sigma to Dumarao road in Capiz; roads connecting Bacolod to Bago City; Hinobaan to Basay, Kabankalan road, and the road traversing La Castellana, Villa Hermosa, Bacolod-Granada, Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros Occidental.

DPWH also reported that 153 flood control projects worth P74.98 million have been constructed in Capiz, Negros Occidental and Aklan.*NLG

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