In 2012, the Asia Foundation created the Coalitions for Change program, the centerpiece of its Philippines program. The goal of this program is to increase economic activity by improving road connectivity in the Infrastructure Philippines. Through its partnership with local businesses and provincial governments, the program has built 298 new roads. To date, more than $1.9 billion has been invested in road improvements. However, the road situation is not all good news. Here’s a look at some of the projects the Coalitions for Change program has helped build.
San Juanico Bridge
The Pan-Philippine Highway includes the San Juanico Bridge in the Philippines. The San Juanico Bridge spans the San Juanico Strait from Samar to Leyte. This steel girder viaduct is constructed on reinforced concrete piers and has an arch-shaped truss as its main span. The bridge was completed in 1995 and was designated a World Heritage Site in 2008.
Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway
The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, also known as the Cebu-Cordova Bridge, is an 8.9-kilometer toll bridge expressway in the Metro-Cebu region. It connects Cebu City and Cordova. Currently under construction, the expressway is slated to open in 2019.
Manila’s crumbling road system
The Philippines’ crumbling road system is the source of a hazard far greater than traffic jams. While some may argue that the chaos is a result of increasing purchasing power, others point to a greater problem. Whatever the case, traffic jams are a symptom of bad urban planning and waste. In the Philippines, 2.2 million vehicles ply the crumbling roads each day, draining the country’s $250 billion economy, and costing the country 876 billion pesos a year.
Train Act
The TRAIN Act in the Philippines is a sweeping tax reform that will drastically reduce the income tax burden for many Filipinos. This tax reform will also eliminate many special laws that give investment tax incentives and provide a single omnibus incentive law. The Philippines has over 190 separate laws that grant different types of tax incentives. Currently, there are 123 laws granting investment tax incentives and over 200 other laws that provide non-investment tax incentives. Under TRAIN 2, government-owned corporations, proprietary educational institutions, and hospitals are no longer eligible for certain tax exemptions.
