Monday, October 13, 2008 JBIC funds P59M projects in Armm
KORONADAL CITY -- Construction of five projects designed to improve economic activities and social services in the impoverished Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) have been forged between the regional government and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
Mustapha A. Sambolawan, executive director of the Armm Social Fund Project (ASFP), said the contract for five out of seven sub-projects, which are the first batch of the 33 Strategic Regional Infrastructure sub-projects due on 2010, would cost P59 million.
The five sub-projects include the construction of the Armm Integrated Regional Standards and Testing Laboratory building (P5.6 million), upgrading of Polloc Base Port (P22.8 million), rehabilitation of Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital (P10.3 million), upgrading of Tamparan District Hospital Training Center (P5.7 million) and improvement and extension of Dr. Serapio Montaņer Al Haj˙ Memorial Hospital (P14.4 million).
The remaining two approved sub-projects still in need of contractors are the establishment of a training center and annex building for the Department of Agriculture and fisheries and the construction of Mother and Child Pavilion Phase 1 Ground Floor.
These projects are scattered in the provinces of Maguinadanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur and Tawi-Tawi.
The P59-million SRI sub-projects' first batch is just a portion of 2.47 billion yen JBIC fund to the government as support to peace and development program in the south.
The ASFP is a project of the Philippine Government to help reduce poverty and build peace in the Armm communities through loans from World Bank and JBIC. (BSS)
